Racial microaggressions and positive coping strategies among migrant elderly care workers in Japan

Abstract

BackgroundThe aging population is a severe issue in Japan; thus, the country has accepted nursing care professionals through a bilateral Economic Partnership Agreement with the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Although this new phase of Southeast Asian immigration to Japan is still considered recent, problems linked to labor and sustainability have been observed. ObjectiveThis qualitative study explored the racial microaggression experiences and positive coping strategies of migrant care workers working in Japan's formal long-term care setting. MethodsIn-depth interviews were conducted among 31 migrant care workers from the Philippines (n = 21), Indonesia (n = 6), and Vietnam (n = 4). Interviews were held in their native tongue, in English or Japanese, with the aid of an interpreter, audiotaped for accuracy, and transcribed verbatim. NVivo 10® was used to sort, organize, and code the transcripts. Thematic analysis was used to identify emerging themes. ResultsTwo key themes emerged that depict racial microaggression: microinsults and microassault. Microinsults include environmental and systematic microaggression, assumption of unreliability, and invisibility. Microassault consists of the assumption of dominance. Migrant care workers were expected to write work reports in Kanji (Chinese characters) and to communicate in Japanese. They are pressured to do more tasks than their local counterparts but treated as incompetent and invisible because of their ethnic background. Three key themes emerged related to positive coping strategies: (1) emotion-focused, (2) meaning-focused, and (3) appraisal-focused. ConclusionThis is the first study that highlights the racial microaggression experiences and positive coping strategies of migrant care workers in Japan. The Japanese government is suggested to provide resources for migrant care workers to cope and practice self-care. Care facilities are meant to provide opportunities for care workers to develop a sense of agency and feelings of control over perpetuated racially charged interactions tailored to the care workers' culture.