Substance abuse among Southeast Asians in the U.S.: implications for practice and research

Abstract

The literature on Asian-American substance use has shown a general increase in consumption and related problems due, in part, to the effects of acculturation toward U.S. drinking norms. Southeast Asians are the most recent of Asian groups to come to the U.S., and have done so following an immigration and refugee experience that was among the most traumatic in recent memory resulting in significant levels of psychosocial distress. The combined influences of mental health disorders, which frequently co-occur with substance abuse, and acculturation pressures suggest that a significant increase in substance abuse problems may be in progress for Southeast Asian immigrants. Preliminary evidence appears to bear out this hypothesis. The current article outlines the literature on substance abuse among Vietnamese, Cambodians and Laotians in the U.S., and makes tentative recommendations for assessment, treatment and future research.