anti-Asian Racism Research Articles

Heightened vulnerabilities to anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic: an intersectional analysis

ABSTRACT This study examines how anti-Asian racism intersects with sexism and ageism, impacting Asian Americans’ fear of racial victimization. Using nationally representative data from the “Dynamics of Social Life during COVID-19” survey, we show that these intersections affect subjective experiences of racism among young and older Asian Americans across various ethnic groups in the U.S. Younger Asian women report the highest levels of worry about racism, with this concern decreasing with age. In contrast, older Asian men worry more than younger men. Asian women also reported more instances of unfair treatment and discrimination, while Asian men reported higher instances of racial violence. Our findings reveal that anti-Asian racism is a multifaceted phenomenon shaped by intersections of gender, age, and ethnicity. We discuss existing obstacles and potential pathways to building panethnic solidarity among Asians across cultures.

"If I Stay Quiet, the Only Person That Gets Hurt Is Me": Anti-Asian Racism and the Mental Health of Chinese-Canadian Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Despite documented accounts of racial discrimination against Chinese communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, few studies have examined experiences of racism among Canadian youth. This qualitative study explored the experiences of Chinese-Canadian youth during the COVID-19 pandemic and their mental health. A qualitative descriptive research design, informed by Critical Race Theory (CRT), was used for this study. Data was collected using focus groups and image-based elicitation methods. Youth who self-identified as Chinese-Canadian, aged 18-24, and who experienced some account of self-defined racism were included. We analyzed the data using a coding system developed for this study and formulated key themes. Our analysis identified three themes: (I) Becoming racialized; (II) Learning the rules of racism; and (III) Effects of racism on mental health. We discuss findings in relation to the model minority stereotype, intersectionality of race and gender, and factors leading to a lack of support. This study provides evidence that racism had immediate and prolonged effects on the mental health of Chinese-Canadian youth and their relationships with peers, family, and even strangers. Our research suggests the need for enhanced services for Chinese-Canadian youth and other groups experiencing racism.

What happens after anti-Asian racism at work? A moral exclusion perspective on coworker confrontation and mechanisms.

Despite Americans' recent heightened awareness of racial inequality, anti-Asian racism at work remains underrecognized and largely unaddressed. In this research, we aim to understand why White bystander coworkers may fail to confront anti-Asian racism. Integrating the moral exclusion perspective and research on racial positions, we propose that due to perceiving Asian Americans as more foreign than other non-White coworkers, White coworkers are less likely to feel anger and engage in confrontation when witnessing anti-Asian racism at work. We first conducted a survey study (Study 1), demonstrating the external validity of the phenomenon that White coworkers are less likely to confront racism when the victim is Asian American versus Black. We then conducted two experiments (Studies 2 and 3) with a realistic, interactive design and behavioral measures of confrontation, supporting our hypothesized mechanisms (i.e., perceived target foreignness and anger). Study 3 further generalized our theory by including Hispanic/Latinx American targets as an additional comparison group and showing that the relative perceived foreignness among Asian American, Hispanic/Latinx American, and Black targets reduced White coworkers' anger and confrontation. We then conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of our work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Internalized Racism? A Study of Christian Nationalism and Perceptions of Asian Hate and White Privilege Among Asians and Asian Americans

Prior studies have shown that Christian nationalism, an ideology combining Christian identity with American identity, is a powerful predictor of public attitudes toward racism. However, less is known about how Christian nationalism might affect Asians and Asian Americans’ racial attitudes, who have increasingly been the targets of anti-Asian hate crimes since the COVID-19 pandemic. This study surveyed 356 Asian and Asian American adults residing in the US. Among them, a stronger belief in Christian nationalism was associated with the perception that anti-Asian racism had stayed about the same or decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surprisingly, this Christian nationalism effect on perceptions of anti-Asian racism during the pandemic was more salient among Asians and Asian Americans, who perceived a greater importance of Asian solidarity. Finally, Asians and Asian Americans who held a stronger belief in Christian nationalism also tended to deny the existence of White privilege.

Unique and interactive roles of economic stress and discrimination on heterogeneous development among Chinese American adolescents: An 8-year longitudinal study.

Chinese American youth as a group are often labeled as "model minorities." Yet, this label ignores the vast heterogeneity within Chinese Americans and implies that they are immune to environmental stressors. Using an 8-year longitudinal study of 444 (54% female; initial Mage = 13-year-old) Chinese American adolescents, we identified two (well- vs. poorly adjusted) concurrent and three (stably well-adjusted, improved, and risk) latent transition profiles from early adolescence to emerging adulthood based on six indicators of academic, behavioral, and socioemotional functioning. Multilevel modeling revealed higher levels of family economic stress or discrimination independently associated with higher likelihood to be in the subgroup of adolescents with poorly adjusted patterns across development. Within an individual, Chinese American adolescents were more likely to have worse adjustment patterns in the year when they experienced higher economic stress or discrimination relative to other study years, suggesting that their adjustment are sensitive to the fluctuation of stress level during development. Longitudinally, those who experienced higher family economic stress or discrimination at early adolescence were more likely to become at risk when they reached adulthood. Higher discrimination predicted the likelihood to be in the improved groups but only among adolescents with low (but not high) economic stress, suggesting that the influence of discrimination may vary by family socioeconomic status. Findings (a) challenge the model minorities assumption, (b) highlight the importance of capturing multiple ecological contexts associated with heterogeneous development among Chinese American adolescents, and (c) provide longitudinal evidence to social policies aiming to reduce wealth disparities and anti-Asian racism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Racism and Mental Health: Examining the Psychological Toll of Anti-Asian Racism during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Racism and Mental Health: Examining the Psychological Toll of Anti-Asian Racism during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Between ‘Model Minority’ and ‘perpetual foreigner’: Anti-Asian Racism During the Pandemic and Asian Identity in Germany

Between ‘Model Minority’ and ‘perpetual foreigner’: Anti-Asian Racism During the Pandemic and Asian Identity in Germany

Gender differences in the impact of COVID-19-related anti-Asian racism on internalized racism and suicide ideation.

Gender differences in the impact of COVID-19-related anti-Asian racism on internalized racism and suicide ideation.

How Crises Shape Interest in Elected Officials of Color: Social Media Activity, Race and Responsiveness to Members of Congress on Twitter

ABSTRACT This study aims to understand public reactions to statements about racial discrimination made by elected officials of color on Twitter. We argue that statements about race made by elected officials of color will be overlooked in most political contexts. However, during events when race is made a salient issue, the public will look to elected officials of the afflicted group for guidance and, through this, the public will be more likely to interact with these leaders on Twitter. In this way, periods of crises create a window of opportunity when statements against racism made by elected officials of color receive greater public attention. To assess this hypothesis, we use the case study of Asian American members of Congress and their discussion of anti-Asian racism on Twitter. We examine the pattern of Twitter interactions to their posts in 2021. We find that Asian American members of Congress receive more social media attention (likes and retweets) relative to other members of Congress when condemning anti-Asian violence, but only in the immediate wake of the March 2021 mass shooting of Asian Americans in Atlanta, Georgia. This study offers important new insight into when elected officials of color can draw public attention to the communities that they descriptively represent.

Barriers and risk factors associated with non-treatment-seeking for suicidality onset during the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults

IntroductionResearchers predict long-term increases in suicide deaths following the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about risk factors for suicidal ideation (SI) and suicidal attempts (SA) or treatment barriers and promoters during the pandemic. We examine these factors in a young adult sample. MethodsAnalyses used a 2022 cross-sectional survey dataset (N = 1,956). Logistic regression identified factors associated with pandemic suicidality (i.e., SI, SA). Non-treatment seekers reported barriers to seeking treatment. Logistic regression identified promotive factors associated with treatment-seeking. Results28.6 % of our sample developed suicidality during the pandemic, of whom 49.6 % did not seek treatment. Asian race and sexual minority status were strongly associated with increased odds of pandemic suicidality. Among SI non-treatment-seekers, barriers were primarily attitudinal (e.g., “symptoms are not serious enough for treatment”); among non-treatment-seekers with SA, barriers were mostly structural (e.g., insufficient funds). Previous depression treatment was strongly associated with increased odds of treatment-seeking. ConclusionAsian American individuals were at increased risk for pandemic suicidality, which may reflect interpersonal risks related to COVID-19-related anti-Asian racism. Our findings point to a “foot-in-the-door” effect: past treatment-seeking was positively associated with future treatment-seeking. To promote this effect and decrease barriers, we suggest integrated mental health screening and referrals in primary care.

Korean Residents’ Experiences of Racism in Germany During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Association with Life Satisfaction and Sense of Belonging

AbstractSince the outbreak of COVID-19, more incidents of anti-Asian racism have been reported in Europe. Asians in Germany have been directly and indirectly exposed to racism, with potential implications for their well-being and sense of belonging. This study aimed to explore racism experiences among Korean residents in Germany since the outset of the pandemic. It also examines how racism is associated with their life satisfaction and sense of belonging to the host society. Our online survey of 552 Koreans residing in Germany shows that since the beginning of the pandemic nearly 80% of them experienced direct and/or indirect racism mainly in public places, public transportation, social media, and mainstream media. Women, younger people, and temporary visa-holders were more likely to experience racism than other groups. While the experience(s) of racism was associated with lower life satisfaction, a stronger sense of belonging to local communities and German society as a whole appeared to alleviate the negative effect of the racism experience. This study shows the pervasiveness of anti-Asian racism in Germany, and thus urges German society and local communities to commit to creating inclusive and diverse environments alongside anti-racism efforts.

Considerations for working with Asian Americans across the psychosis spectrum following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the rise of anti-Asian racism and discrimination that followed the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to improve Asian Americans' (AA) connection to and experiences with clinical care is critical. AA at risk for or experiencing psychosis represent a particularly vulnerable subset of a population that already exhibits low service utilization and a multitude of barriers to mental health care treatment. Considering that victimization and discrimination were well-documented factors that exacerbate psychotic symptoms prepandemic, preparing clinicians to adequately support this already hard-to-reach population warrants special attention. In this article, we argue for the importance of addressing the unique needs of this population in an acute time of need. We outline three main considerations for working with AA across the psychosis spectrum, including actionable steps clinicians can implement related to (a) the variability in AA identities, (b) the relationship between victimization and psychosis, and (c) improving access to culturally sensitive mental health care treatment. By considering the diverse needs of AA at risk for or living with psychosis, clinicians across professional levels and contexts can better serve this vulnerable population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Splits in the fabric: A community psychoanalytic project during COVID-19

ABSTRACT Demonstrating how psychoanalysts can be useful in community settings outside the conventional consulting room, this paper describes consultation and group interventions conducted at a San Francisco mental health agency serving a largely Asian community. In the traumatic context of the COVID-19 pandemic, agency staff became fragmented, due to remote working conditions and differential work assignments, including mandated deployments to emergency sites. Two psychoanalysts worked with agency leadership to devise a weekly process group held by video conferencing over 6 months, in an attempt to heal resentments and splits in the fabric of the agency. Examples of the group process, interventions, and major themes that emerged are described, as well as recommendations made, including the formation of an ongoing clinical consultation group. The paper situates these interventions in the greater context of the pandemic which exposed not only a universal threat to life and health, but also structural vulnerabilities organized along lines of (racial) difference and inequity. The dynamics at the agency are thus described as rooted within greater nested histories: of the clinic, its leadership, and their relationship with a strained public health system, and more broadly, of the tangled intersection of these histories with anti-Asian racism. These are understood as manifestations of the Social Unconscious, and the intervention as an example of Community Psychoanalysis.

It’s Not Just “8 Dead”: Examining News and Twitter’s Social Construction of the Atlanta Spa Shootings Through the Lens of Networked Gatekeeping and Affective Publics

Drawing from the theories of networked gatekeeping and affective publics, this study compares how news media and social media users shaped the discourse surrounding the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings. We investigate both the substantive (topics) and affective (emotions) dimensions of news articles and tweets, showcasing how institutional media and the public engage in the social construction of mass shootings involving people of underserved communities. To do so, we built two datasets: 964 news articles and 265,951 tweets. The findings from the computer-assisted content analysis reveal that Twitter users focused more on humanizing the victims and contextualizing the Atlanta spa shootings within the broader framework of anti-Asian racism, in contrast to the news outlets. Twitter users expressed significantly greater anger and fear than what is reflected in the news articles. This study also demonstrates that the news stories failed to acknowledge the intersecting identities of the victims. The findings contribute to our understanding of how journalists and individuals shape agendas and convey their affective reactions through news and social media. We suggest actions that can be taken to create a more inclusive and culturally responsive media environment.

Rethinking anti-Asian racism in mathematics education: the hidden racism made visible through AsianCrit

Rethinking anti-Asian racism in mathematics education: the hidden racism made visible through AsianCrit

Jeannie N. Shinozuka, Biotic borders: Transpacific plant and insect migration and the rise of anti-Asian racism in America, 1890-1950, Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2022.

Jeannie N. Shinozuka, Biotic borders: Transpacific plant and insect migration and the rise of anti-Asian racism in America, 1890-1950, Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2022.

Racial-ethnic socialization among Asian American families with preadolescent children.

The COVID-19 pandemic and resurgence of overt anti-Asian racism have prompted many Asian American parents to grapple with ways to discuss race and ethnicity with their children. Racial-ethnic socialization (RES) has been shown to have promotive and protective influences on Asian American adolescents' adjustment but remains understudied among Asian American families with younger children. This study examined parent (i.e., racial-ethnic identity [REI], experiences of discrimination) predictors of RES among Asian American families with preadolescent-aged children and moderation by parental generational status. We surveyed a sample of 404 Asian American parents (Mage = 38.4, SD = 7.0; 66% female) with 6- to 12-year-olds (Mage = 8.9, SD = 2.0; 56% boys). Findings revealed that parents with higher levels of REI centrality were more likely to report engaging in cultural maintenance practices and those with higher levels of REI private regard were less likely to minimize race. Parents' experiences of racial discrimination were also associated with more frequent cultural maintenance practices and discussions of anti-Asian discrimination. Tests for moderation by parental generational status indicated that the positive association between experiences of racial discrimination and discussions of anti-Asian discrimination was stronger among first-generation than second+ generation parents. Findings highlight that among Asian American parents of preadolescent-aged children, RES approaches and practices are nuanced and differentially responsive to parents' views of their own REI, their experiences of racial discrimination, and by generational status. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

‘Black self-serve’: the depreciation of blackness and racialized vision among Taiwanese netizens

ABSTRACT While the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement was proliferating in the United States, the movement did not gain similar degrees of support in Taiwan. Instead, on social media there is even a term, ‘Black Self-serve,’ meaning that Black people always use race as an ‘excuse’ to demand whatever they want. Analyzing computer-mediated communication about blackness from the largest bulletin board system in Taiwan – PTT, this article highlights how and why Taiwanese netizens used the term ‘Black self-serve’ to accuse Black people of fighting for rights. Centering cultural processes of racialized vision and division, this article shows that the depreciation of blackness is deeply connected to Taiwanese navigation of its tenuous status along the racial hierarchy, sense of inferiority, colonization experience, cultural alienation, and the image of Black people as accomplices of anti-Asian racism – all are deeply embedded in systemic racism.

The (Re)surgence of Sinophobia in the Australian Far-Right: Online Racism, Social Media, and the Weaponization of COVID-19

ABSTRACT In this article I critically examine the role of the Australian far-right in the racialisation of the COVID-19 pandemic. A Discourse-Historical Analysis of (n = 133) Facebook posts from Australia’s most prominent far-right populist party, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, revealed a range of discursive strategies, linguistic and rhetorical devices, and multimodal semiotic practices were employed to scapegoat China and Chinese-Australians throughout the pandemic. The findings highlight the unique role played by the Australian far-right in the racialisation of the health crisis which engendered a wave of Sinophobic and anti-Asian racism on a global scale. This research furthers our empirical understanding of how crises are exploited by the far-right to advance their racial politics in the twenty-first century.

Abstract LB150: The effect of a technology-based intervention on various needs for help among Asian American breast cancer survivors

Abstract Purpose: Asian American breast cancer survivors reportedly have high needs for help during their cancer survivorship process. Especially, the recent COVID19 pandemic with Anti-Asian racism exacerbated their situation with lack of information and support. To address their needs for help, there is a clear necessity for an innovative method of delivering information and coaching/support mainly due to their cultural stigma attached to breast cancer. A technology-based approach would work well for this specific population because of non-face-to-face interactions. Thus, a technology-based information and coaching/support program was developed based on the Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and pilot-tested among this specific population. In this study, the effect of the technology-based program was examined on various needs for help among a larger group of Asian American breast cancer survivors. Methods: This study used a randomized clinical trial design with repeated measures. The study included 199 participants who were recruited through both online and offline communities/groups for Asian Americans. With multiple measurement scales related to background characteristics and theory-based mediators, the Support Care Needs Survey-34 Short Form (SCNS) was used to measure various needs for help. The SCNS included five subscales on psychological, information, physical, support, and communication needs. Data were analyzed using an intent-to-treat approach and mediation analyses. Results: All types of needs except support needs decreased over time (p < .001). However, there were no significant group * time effects. Among all the theory-based mediators, only social support significantly mediated the effects of the program on psychological, information, and support needs at the pre-test and the post-1 month. Conclusions: This study supported significant effects of the technology-based program on various needs for help among Asian American breast cancer survivors. Future research needs to be conducted with other racial/ethnic minority groups of cancer survivors to confirm the findings reported in this presentation. Citation Format: Eun-Ok Im, Wonshik Chee, TICAA Research Team. The effect of a technology-based intervention on various needs for help among Asian American breast cancer survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr LB150.