Internalized Racism and Asian American Mental Health

What is it about?

In this study we investigated how internalized racism shapes the relation between racism and Asian Americans’ symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. We explored two forms of internalized racism because Asian Americans are racialized as both inferior (e.g., stereotyped as weak, unsociable, threatening, un-American), and as being hard-working “model minorities” who have achieved success in the U.S. We theorized that this dialectic, of devaluing and simultaneously praising Asian Americans, might reflect internalized racism in the forms of internalized inferiority and internalized meritocracy. Overall, we found racism-related stress led to increased mental health symptoms due to valuing whiteness and devaluing one's self, group, and culture (i.e., higher levels of internalized inferiority). However, racism-related stress did not show the same deleterious effect on mental health for Asian Americans who had a higher awareness of stereotypes and racism that targets their group (i.e., lower levels of internalized meritocracy).

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Photo by sean Kong on Unsplash

Photo by sean Kong on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research suggests that rejecting internalized racism can prevent detrimental effects of racism-related stress on mental health. Given simultaneous racialization as devalued and idealized, incorporation of both aspects in this study provides a more comprehensive understanding of internalized racism in Asian Americans and points to multiple areas of intervention. For example, in psychotherapy clinicians might work with Asian American clients to name and challenge internalized inferiority. On a larger scale, Asian American mental health might be promoted by interrupting internalized racism through awareness and education about anti-Asian American stereotypes and racial oppression.

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