Work and Gender Roles among East Asian Immigrant Women in the United States

Abstract

Asians are the second fastest growing ethnic minority group in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012a) and are projected to more than double between 2012 and 2060 – growing to 34.4 million and making up 8 percent of the total population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). In a report released by the Pew Research Center, Asians accounted for 25 percent of all the first-generation immigrants in 2012, of which 54 percent are women (Cohn, 2013). The majority of the recent immigrants come from the People’s Republic of China (or referred as mainland China) and reside in urban cities, including Los Angeles, California and New York City (McCabe, 2012), where their children attend urban public schools (Fix & Capps, 2005). In spite of their rapid population growth, psychological research on Asian immigrants – especially those of recent immigration status and of women – remains scant (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001). Within the limited literature relevant to this population, there are even fewer studies exploring East Asian immigrant women’s experience of employment and gender roles, two aspects that are salient to their identity development and mental health.