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. 2021 Dec;50(12):2374-2393.
doi: 10.1007/s10964-021-01519-8. Epub 2021 Oct 22.

Racial Stereotypes and Asian American Youth Paradox

Michael Park  1 , Yoonsun Choi  2 , Hyung Chol Yoo  3 , Miwa Yasui  2 , David Takeuchi  4
Affiliations

Racial Stereotypes and Asian American Youth Paradox

Michael Park et al. J Youth Adolesc. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Asian Americans are simultaneously stereotyped as a perpetual foreigner and a model minority. This cross-sectional study of 308 Filipino American youth (mean age 18 years; 47% emerging adult; 72% U.S.-born; 57% female) and 340 Korean American youth (mean age 18 years; 39% emerging adult; 59% U.S.-born; 49% female) is the first to investigate both the direct and interactive effects of these seemingly opposite stereotypes on internalizing and externalizing outcomes, and how these relations differ by ethnicity, age group (adolescence vs. emerging adulthood), and nativity (foreign-born vs. U.S.-born). The results confirm that the perpetual foreigner stereotype predicts more internalizing problems, whereas aspects of the model minority stereotype (i.e., achievement orientation and unrestricted mobility) had different effects by ethnicity. Those who deeply internalize the model minority stereotype were found to be particularly vulnerable. Furthermore, the interactive effects of these stereotypes were more prominent during emerging adulthood than in adolescence, regardless of ethnicity. These nuanced and complex mechanisms need to be thoroughly understood in order to develop appropriate and effective public health or school interventions that can support Asian American young people in dealing with the harmful effects of racial stereotypes.

Keywords: Filipino American; Korean American; Model minority stereotype; Perpetual foreigner stereotype; Youth development.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest

The authors report no conflict of interests.

Figures

[Figure 1]
[Figure 1]
Way Interaction Effect Between Foreigner and Mobility on Negative Affect Among Korean Americans Note. Foreigner = perpetual foreigner stereotype; Mobility = mobility aspect of the model minority stereotype. Plus (+) and asterisk (*) indicate significance of the slope. + p < .1, * p < .05.
[Figure 2]
[Figure 2]
Two-Way Interaction Effect Between Foreigner and Mobility on Depressive Symptoms Among Korean Americans Note. Foreigner = perpetual foreigner stereotype; Mobility = mobility aspect of the model minority stereotype. Asterisk (*) indicates significance of the slope. * p < .05.
[Figure 3]
[Figure 3]
Way Interaction Effect Between Achievement and Mobility on Negative Affect Among Korean Americans Note. Achievement = achievement aspect of the model minority stereotype; Mobility = mobility aspect of the model minority stereotype.
[Figure 4]
[Figure 4]
Two-Way Interaction Effect Between Achievement and Mobility on Depressive Symptoms Among Korean Americans Note. Achievement = achievement aspect of the model minority stereotype; Mobility = mobility aspect of the model minority stereotype. Asterisk (*) indicates significance of the slope. * p < .05.
[Figure 5]
[Figure 5]
Way Interaction Effect Between Achievement and Mobility on Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among Korean Americans Note. Achievement = achievement aspect of the model minority stereotype; Mobility = mobility aspect of the model minority stereotype. Asterisk (*) indicates significance of the slope. * p < .05.
[Figure 6]
[Figure 6]
Two-Way Interaction Effect Between Achievement and Mobility on Illegal Substance Use Among Note. Achievement = achievement aspect of the model minority stereotype; Mobility = mobility aspect of the model minority stereotype. Asterisk (*) indicates significance of the slope. * p < .05.
[Figure 7]
[Figure 7]
Three-Way Interaction Effect Between Foreigner, Mobility, and Age Group on Positive Affect Among Filipino Americans Note. Foreigner = perpetual foreigner stereotype; Mobility = mobility aspect of the model minority stereotype. Asterisk (*) indicates significance of the slope. * p < .05.
[Figure 8]
[Figure 8]
Three-Way Interaction Effect Between Foreigner, Mobility, and Age Group on Depressive Symptoms Among Filipino Americans Note. Foreigner = perpetual foreigner stereotype; Mobility = mobility aspect of the model minority stereotype. Asterisk (*) indicates significance of the slope. * p < .05.
[Figure 9]
[Figure 9]
Three-Way Interaction Effect Between Foreigner, Achievement, and Age Group on Negative Affect Among Korean Americans Note. Foreigner = perpetual foreigner stereotype; Achievement = achievement aspect of the model minority stereotype. Plus (+) and asterisk (*) indicate significance of the slope. + < .1, * p < .05.
[Figure 10]
[Figure 10]
Three-Way Interaction Effect Between Foreigner, Achievement, and Age Group on Depressive Symptoms Among Korean Americans Note. Foreigner = perpetual foreigner stereotype; Achievement = achievement aspect of the model minority stereotype. Asterisk (*) indicates significance of the slope. * p < .05.
[Figure 11]
[Figure 11]
Three-Way Interaction Effect Between Achievement, Mobility, and Nativity on Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Note. Achievement = achievement aspect of the model minority stereotype; Mobility = mobility aspect of the model minority stereotype. Asterisk (*) indicates significance of the slope. * p < .05.
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