home

__**Asian American Stress Issues**__ = =  **__Stress__**   Stress is the body's reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment or response. = = = ﻿ = Does everybody have the same stress issues? Well, they do but each of the issues people deal with is not always the same but somewhat similar. Each minority group has a different stress issues from others. Especially Asian Americans. Asian American students that mostly deals with that causes stress and may lead into depression: **Parental Problems That Can Cause Asian American Students To Deal With Stress: ** = = ** A Typical "Asian Grade Scale" **

A = average, B = bad , C = catastrophe , D = disowned , F = forever forgotten Many Asian parents, especially well-educated immigrants, set sky-high expectations for their children. And while that drive to achieve has put Asian American students as a group at the top of the class. **At Mission in the Fremont Unified School District, where 75 percent of the student body are Asian-Americans, a majority of students think their parents' expectations are too high, according to a survey. Half of the 1,175 kids answering the survey showed signs of depression or burnout.** Asian American Students have to internalize those expectations from their parents. If they don't fullfill the expectations, they will feel something is wrong with them and also they will feel that they have dishonor the family. Usually, the parental problems also connects with educational issues for Asian American students. Parents would set high expectations of their child/children to have at least all straight A's in their report cards and would take higher classes then the childrens' peers. Asian American students, when encountering difficulties in academics or other matters, personal or social, tend to not seek help or have open communication with faculty and staff members over personal concerns.

__Living Up It Up to the Stereotypes__ The Asian Pacific American students at the University of Pennsylvania face a variety of issues that stem from a diversity of socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, and present established cultural stereotypes which affect the performance and experience of the students in college. Confronted with the “Model Minority stereotype,” Asian Pacific American Students carry the pressures and expectations of being exceptional students, particularly in fields relating to science and math, and are seen as students with little or no academic and social problems. As a result, those APA students who do encounter academic and/or social problems are hidden and do not receive necessary help or guidance. Furthermore, the low number of students who pursue other disciplines besides math and science in graduate schools further indicates the detrimental effects of such a stereotype.

__ Asian American/Pacific Islanders Mental Health VS Caucasian Americans Mental Health __
• One study found that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are significantly less likely than Caucasians to mention their mental health concerns to: o a friend or relative (12% vs. 25%), o a mental health professional (4% vs. 26%), o or a physician (2% vs. 13%).8 • Asian Americans do not access mental health treatment as much as other racial/ethnic groups do, perhaps due to strong stigma related to mental illness. Emotional problems are viewed as shameful and distressing and this may limit help-seeking behaviors. Asian Americans also tend to rely on family to handle problems.9 • Asian American and Pacific Islanders are concerned about negatively affecting their social network which keeps them from seeking help. media type="youtube" key="s4iSGlAjneA" height="349" width="560" align="center"

**Resources:** [|www.missionsos.net/docs/SJMN_article_010409.pdf]    [|www.sprc.org/library/**asian**.pi.facts.pdf] []