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COVID-19 Racism and Chinese American Families’ Mental Health: A Comparison between 2020 and 2021

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  • Charissa S. L. Cheah

    (Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA)

  • Huiguang Ren

    (Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA)

  • Xiaoli Zong

    (Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA)

  • Cixin Wang

    (Department of Counseling Psychology, Higher Education and Special Education, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA)

Abstract

This study compared rates of multiple forms of COVID-19 racism-related discrimination experiences, fear/worries, and their associations with mental health indices among Chinese American parents and youth between 2020 and 2021. Chinese American parents of 4- to 18-year-old children and a subsample of their 10- to 18-year-old adolescents completed surveys in 2020 and 2021. A high percentage of Chinese American parents and their children continued to experience or witness anti-Chinese/Asian racism both online and in person in 2021. Parents and youth experienced less vicarious discrimination in person but more direct discrimination (both online and in person) and reported poorer mental health in 2021 than in 2020. Associations with mental health were stronger in 2021 than in 2020 for parents’ and/or youth’s vicarious discrimination experiences, perceptions of Sinophobia, and government-related worries, but weaker only for parents’ direct discrimination experiences. The spillover effect from parents’ vicarious discrimination experiences and Sinophobia perceptions to all youth mental health indices were stronger in 2021 than in 2020. Chinese American families experienced high rates of racial discrimination across multiple dimensions, and the detrimental impacts on their mental health were still salient in the second year of the pandemic. Vicarious and collective racism may have even stronger negative impacts on mental health and well-being later in the pandemic. Decreasing health disparities for Chinese Americans and other communities of color requires extensive, long-term national efforts to eliminate structural aspects of racism.

Suggested Citation

  • Charissa S. L. Cheah & Huiguang Ren & Xiaoli Zong & Cixin Wang, 2023. "COVID-19 Racism and Chinese American Families’ Mental Health: A Comparison between 2020 and 2021," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-17, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:8:p:5437-:d:1118303
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Kwate, N.O.A. & Goodman, M.S., 2015. "Cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of racism on mental health among residents of Black neighborhoods in New York City," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(4), pages 711-718.
    4. Gee, G.C. & Spencer, M.S. & Chen, J. & Takeuchi, D., 2007. "A nationwide study of discrimination and chronic health conditions among Asian Americans," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(7), pages 1275-1282.
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