Meta-Analysis of Acculturation and Suicide-Related Outcomes: A Test of the Immigrant Paradox.

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to systematically test the relation between acculturation and suicide-related outcomes among immigrants, with attention to key methodological (i.e., measure of suicide-related outcome, measure of acculturation) and demographic (i.e., race, gender, age, geographic region, publication year) moderators. METHOD: We conducted a meta-analysis of 72 independent samples from 50 studies (38 peer-reviewed articles, 12 dissertations) representing more than 1.4 million immigrants. Participants' age ranged from 11.20 to 74.70 years (M = 29.96, SD = 15.07). Random effects models were used for both main and moderation analyses. RESULTS: We found significant positive associations between acculturation and suicidal ideation, but not suicide attempts and deaths. We also found a significant and positive effect of acculturation on suicide-related outcomes when acculturation was measured by psychological scales, but not by generation status, length of residence in the host country, and proficiency in the host country's language. More acculturated Latinx immigrants were at higher risk for suicide-related outcomes, whereas a reverse pattern was found among Asian immigrants. Meta-regressions revealed that the moderating effects of participants' age and publication year were also significant. CONCLUSION: Our results show partial support for the immigrant paradox but suggest that the relation between acculturation and suicide-related outcomes is complex and multifaceted. We discuss the implications of our findings and recommendations for research and prevention.

From racial awakening to collective action: Asian Americans' pathways to activism and benevolent support during COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: In response to increased anti-Asian discrimination and violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examined pathways from discrimination experiences to own-group collective action in a diverse sample of 689 Asian Americans. METHOD: Informed by theories of ethnoracial identity, critical consciousness, and collective action and utilizing structural equation modeling, we examined the associations among discrimination, psychological distress, critical awareness and motivation (CAM) to resist racism, and two types of own-group collective action: political activism and benevolent support. Multigroup invariance tests also examined whether these associations differed by ethnic subgroup, immigrant generation, and age. RESULTS: Results supported our integrated model in which distress mediated the relationship between discrimination and CAM, and CAM mediated the relationship between discrimination and collective action. The structural pathways from discrimination to own-group collective action generally did not differ by ethnic subgroup and immigrant generation, although path coefficients for the effect of discrimination on distress did vary by age (p < .01). Further, discrimination did not appear to have the same catalyzing effect on CAM for South and Southeast Asians compared to East Asians. CONCLUSIONS: While anti-Asian discrimination was associated with both distress and engagement in collective action during the COVID-19 pandemic, group differences in mediational processes highlight the importance of disaggregating analyses to explore both similarities and differences in Asian Americans' responses to discrimination. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Disaggregating the data: Diversity of COVID-19 stressors, discrimination, and mental health among Asian American communities.

Much of the public discourse as well as research regarding the negative impact of COVID-19-related anti-Asian discrimination has been conducted at the broad racial group level, yet data aggregation masks critical points of diversity among Asian Americans. We conducted an online survey of 620 Asian American adults in December 2020 and examined whether there were any demographic differences-including by ethnic subgroup and Chinese street race (being Chinese or being mistaken as Chinese)-in their experiences of COVID-19-related stress, direct and vicarious discrimination, and psychological outcomes. Our analyses found that younger age was correlated with higher reports of pandemic stress, discrimination, distress, and worry. Female and U.S.-born participants reported higher levels of pandemic stress and vicarious discrimination, but there were no gender or nativity differences in levels of direct discrimination. Being uninsured was also related to higher levels of pandemic stress, discrimination, and distress. East Asian Americans reported significantly lower frequencies of direct anti-Asian discrimination than did South Asian or Southeast Asian Americans, but the ethnic subgroups did not differ in their reports of vicarious discrimination. Of note, Chinese street race was not associated with either direct or vicarious discrimination. Separate hierarchical regression analyses for East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian participants revealed that, regardless of ethnicity, racial discrimination significantly contributed to psychological distress and worry beyond the effects of pandemic stress. However, the three groups varied in the demographic indicators and COVID-19 stressors that were associated with psychological outcomes. Pandemic stress was more strongly associated with negative outcomes among South Asian Americans than East Asian and Southeast Asian Americans, and neither direct nor vicarious discrimination were associated with mental health among South Asian Americans. Direct discrimination, compared to vicarious discrimination, was a particularly robust predictor of both distress and worry among East Asian Americans. For Southeast Asian Americans, direct discrimination significantly predicted higher levels of distress, whereas vicarious discrimination predicted higher levels of worry. Vicarious discrimination was not significantly related to distress across ethnic subgroups. Results suggest that practitioners and policy makers would benefit from attending to these within-group differences in Asian Americans' experiences during the pandemic.

The "Let's Talk!" Conference: A Culture-Specific Community Intervention for Asian and Asian American Student Mental Health.

Asian and Asian American students face culture-specific mental health risk factors, and the current study aims to examine whether a culture-specific community intervention in the form of a conference is an effective modality for psychoeducation in the Asian American community. Participants were assessed for reported changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior intentions related to mental health after attending the conference. A total of 118 conference participants filled out the survey. Participants reported changes in knowledge regarding mental health issues, generational differences, and the effects of culture. Participants also reported having a more open attitude towards mental health, having greater acceptance of mental health issues in themselves and others, and realizing that mental health issues are a community issue. Lastly, participants reported changes in behavior intentions such as communicating more with friends and family, engaging in perspective-taking, participating in advocacy and activism on mental health issues, and taking care of themselves and others.

Racial/ethnic and gender differences in the antecedents of youth suicide.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined racial/ethnic and gender differences in the antecedents of adolescent suicide deaths in the United States. METHOD: Using postmortem data (N = 3,996, mean age = 16.01, 77% male) from the National Violent Death Reporting System, the authors investigated whether White, Black, Native American, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Latinx youths aged 10 to 18 varied in their rates of circumstances that either preceded or appear to have contributed to their suicides. Gender differences and gender by race/ethnicity moderation effects were examined in addition to racial/ethnic differences. These antecedents included, but were not limited to, mental health problems and treatment, history of suicide attempt and suicidal ideation, presence of a suicide note, interpersonal problems, substance abuse problems, school problems, and exposure to the death or suicide of a loved one. RESULTS: Logistic regression analyses revealed racial/ethnic and gender differences in the prevalence of several antecedents of youth suicide. One race/ethnicity by gender moderation effect related to suicide notes was identified. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest considerable gender and racial/ethnic heterogeneity in suicide risk factors and highlight the need for more research on suicidal behavior in minority youths, as well as culturally tailored prevention efforts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).