A historical and contemporary overview of Asian American and Pacific Islander experiences: Immigration, racialization, and liminality

When various contemporary issues of crime, violence, and gangs confronting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities are presented, they are often explained from an ahistorical perspective. This leads to a decontextualized understanding of the communities and the challenges they face. The first part of this article will provide a general historical overview of selected AAPI communities that examines salient aspects of immigration and racialization, resulting in generations living a circumscribed life on the margins of mainstream society. The balance of the article will draw on U.S. Census datasets from 1990 to 2000 to capture the size and growth of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and provide population, language, citizenship, education, income, and poverty data to contextualize emerging crime, violence, and gang issues that affect these communities. Data will show commonalities across AAPI communities, but will also reveal information specific to AAPI subgroups, shedding more light on the state of AAPI communities and their diversity.     

Striving for a culturally responsive process in training health professionals on Asian American and Pacific Islander youth violence prevention

The quality of youth violence prevention practice is dependent on the quality of education and training of professionals who will care for disadvantaged and/or underserved youth. The authors propose that culturally responsive youth violence prevention curricula, focused on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, should: 1) target institutions that train health professionals likely to serve Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; 2) promote the professional development of Asian American and Pacific Islander students and enhance all students' comfort in addressing behavioral, social, and cultural concerns; 3) cover specific issues relevant to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, including the role of acculturative stress, socioeconomic hardship, and other risk factors that may account for mental health disparities; and 4) continuously engage researchers, educators, and community stakeholders in cooperatively and creatively applying new knowledge to clinical challenges. The authors summarize resources for youth violence prevention education that have been used for training healthcare professionals in a multicultural context.     

Being American, being Asian: the bicultural self and autobiographical memory in Asian Americans

Studies of autobiographical memory have shown that the degree to which individuals focus on themselves vs. social relations in their memories varies markedly across cultures. Do the differences result from differing cultural self-views (i.e., an autonomous vs. a relational sense of self), as often suggested in the literature? Experimental evidence is required to answer this question. In the present study, Asian American participants (N=118) were primed to focus on their American or Asian self prior to recalling important autobiographical events, and participants in a control group described things in nature prior to the memory recall. Those whose American self was activated recalled more self-focused and less socially oriented memories than those whose Asian self was made salient, with the control group falling in between. The findings shed light on the mechanism underlying cultural influences on autobiographical remembering. They further highlight the dynamic nature of the memory-self interplay in cultural contexts.     

Effect of collectivistic cultural imperatives on Asian American meta-stereotypes

The present study explored self-perceptions and meta-stereotypes along two dimensions, individuation and sociability, within a sample of Asian American and European American students. For both ethnic groups, meta-stereotypes in dimensions of individuation and sociability appear to be exaggerated forms of self-perceptions along these dimensions. Both Asian and European Americans distinguish between self-perceptions of sociability and individuation, showing that sociability and individuation are two independent constructs. Asian Americans, however, perceived that others who expect a certain level of sociability from their ethnic group would also expect the same level of individuation. Implications of these findings for the perpetuation of Asian stereotypes are discussed.     

How Psychotherapists Address Hypothetical Multiple Relationships Dilemmas with Asian American Clients: A National Survey

This study examined how psychotherapists address hypothetical nonsexual multiple relationships dilemmas with Asian American clients and identified predictors of conservative decisions and the use of culture-based rationales. This survey of 787 Asian American and non-Asian American psychotherapists revealed that clinicians rely on mostly their personal policies and seldom focus on the clients' cultural backgrounds. Psychotherapists who consider their clients' Asian culture have more cultural knowledge and awareness, have been mental health providers longer, and are Asian American and female. Clinicians who avoid multiple relationships tend to cite formal policies as justification and are less likely to consider clients' cultural worldviews, the therapeutic relationship, or their own values. The results are discussed in terms of specific revisions needed in the American Psychological Association Ethics Code, the benefits of more frequent consultation with colleagues and supervisors about ethical dilemmas, and recommendations for psychotherapists.     

Acceptability of racial microaggressions among Asian American college students: internalized model minority myth,individualism, and social conscience as correlates

ABSTRACT

How much someone finds a racial microaggression to be acceptable can vary. We focus on the acceptability of racial microaggressions among Asian American college students, in relation to cultural and religious variables. We predicted that internalized model minority stereotype and individualism will be associated with being more accepting of microaggressions. We predicted that social conscience, or the belief that the church should be active in social justice, will be associated with being less accepting of microaggressions. Results based on 102 Asian American students indicated that vertical individualism predicts greater acceptance of microaggressions, and results based on 77 Christian individuals out of the 102 participants indicated that social conscience predicts less acceptance of microaggressions. Excessive individualism may lead one to ignore the impact of racism and have a greater tolerance for microaggressions, whereas social conscience may support participation in social justice efforts, which may lead to a greater awareness of microaggressions.     

I Listen,Therefore I Am: An Asian American Approach to Post‐Materialist Living

Abstract : Consumerism is a cultural atmosphere that permeates societies when they are saturated with market‐driven values at the expense of social values. It prioritizes personal needs over the common good and reduces even religion to a “brand” that people wear like an emblem. It simultaneously approaches the world itself as a resource to be managed, forgetful of the fact that all living beings are songs and stories worth hearing. As Christianity becomes a post‐western religion, opportunities emerge for Christians to develop cross‐cultural poetics that are conducive to post‐materialist ways of living in the world. Poetics are not theologies, but rather outlooks on life or, perhaps more appropriately, ways of listening to the voices of people and other living beings. The purpose of this essay is to propose one such Asian American theology that can be a commitment to deep listening: that is, to dwelling musically in the world. This manner of dwelling can recognize that even the heart of the universe—even God—is a listening presence at the heart of the universe.     

Pastoral Care for the Sick in a Post-Secular Age: An Ignatian Perspective

This pastoral-theology-based reflection on hospital chaplaincy,set within the horizon of the pastoral situation of Germanyin the post-secular (!) age, introduces the perspective of aconsolation-oriented ministry, as this was developed by Ignatiusof Loyola. Such a pastoral care for the sick, as integratedinto the basic offices of the church, presents a gradedmodelfor action: while human accompaniment is offered to all, spiritualministry is restricted, but realized in an ecumenically encompassingsense. Spiritual and ritual care for members of other religions,while these members are to be addressed according to the principleslaid down by Vatican II, is severely limited for reasons ofidentity and alterity. In all cases, however, Christianity ispresented as "therapeutic religion".     

Evaluation of a Health Careers Program for Asian American and Pacific Islander High School Students

The authors evaluated a health careers program in a U.S. urban public high school. After small subgroups of the original sample were removed, participants included 162 Asian American and Pacific Islander students. Analyses of covariance indicated that, compared with the comparison group, the treatment group reported significantly higher levels of social support, school engagement, interest in learning, vocational expectations, and ethnic identity. Implications for multicultural counseling in schools are discussed. Los autores evaluaron un programa de carreras sanitarias en una escuela secundaria pública de Estados Unidos. Tras la eliminación de pequeños subgrupos de la muestra original, los participantes incluyeron 162 estudiantes Asiático‐Americanos e Isleños del Pacífico. Los análisis de covarianza indicaron que, comparado con el grupo de comparación, el grupo de tratamiento expresó unos niveles significativamente mayores de apoyo social, participación escolar, interés en el aprendizaje, expectativas vocacionales e identidad étnica. Se discuten las implicaciones para la consejería multicultural en escuelas.     

Toward an integrative and collaborative approach to Asian American and Pacific Islander youth violence research, practice, and policy

Research into the prevalence of violence and delinquency among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth has proliferated in the last several years, as a result of federal funding. Consequently, this article reviews the literature on AAPI youth violence and delinquency published from 2001 to 2008. The findings demonstrate the frequency of AAPI youth violence and delinquency, provide a sense of the involvement of these youth in the juvenile justice system, reveal ethnic group differences in violence and delinquency, and explore the effects of immigration and acculturation on these phenomena. This article ends with a discussion on AAPI youth violence and delinquency prevention programs, with suggestions for future directions that incorporate a developmental and life-course approach in research and collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.     

Care for the Caregiver: Clues for the Pastoral Care of Clergywomen

In this article, we report the results of a qualitative study on the special challenges faced by clergywomen: the impact of gender, work demands, and personal and professional stressors, and the positive and negative coping strategies these clergywomen employed. We include a discussion of the pastoral care issues that emerged from the study and make recommendations for ways pastoral counselors may care for their own.     

Implementation of a Culture-Specific Intervention for a Native American Community

Psychiatric services provided to Native Americans should be culturally relevant and integrated with the values and beliefs of the culture since Native Americans use Western health care as a last resort. Reduced utilization of services may be the result of cultural beliefs that sickness or illness comes from disharmony with oneself, one's community, and nature. Treatment entails resolving the disharmony and restoring a state of balance and integration. Western psychiatric services have not usually provided active psychiatric treatment, while simultaneously encouraging participation in native ceremonies and traditions of healing. For 3 years, the Wyoming State Hospital has offered Sweat Lodge ceremonies administered by the Wind River Reservation as part of a pattern of working together to improve the care of Native Americans admitted to the facility. Results indicate increased utilization of hospital services as well as increased patient and tribal satisfaction, improved health care outcomes, and reduced length of stay. This report argues that culturally specific and sensitive treatment interventions provide a concrete and specific benefit to the population which is targeted.     

Models of Psychotherapy: Implications for Pastoral Care Practice

Pastoral care givers are called to provide care and counseling to parishioners that are suffering in many ways. A core question is what does a pastor rely on to provide this care? Pastors usually call on models of psychotherapy to inform their care giving. A framework of theological anthropology, cosmology, soteriology and harmatiology is developed for analyzing the worldviews inherent in models of psychotherapy. The specific models of Adler’s Individual Psychology, Narrative therapy, Horney’s personality theory, and Intersubjective theory are used to demonstrate the application of this framework. Several pastoral care implications are developed following the application of the framework.     

The Conceptualization of Anxiety: An Exploratory Study of Japanese American Older Adults

Few empirical studies exist on the mental health of Japanese American older adults. This study focused on how Japanese American older adults conceptualize anxiety. Participants were presented with a checklist, which included anxiety and depression symptoms identified in a previous qualitative study conducted by the authors, as well as symptoms from Generalized Anxiety Disorder in the Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IVrpar;. They were asked to imagine a Japanese American older adult who was experiencing anxiety and check off the symptoms he/she would be experiencing. Results indicated that these Japanese American participants conceptualized anxiety by using more depressive symptoms than anxiety symptoms. In addition, contrary to previous research and speculation about how Asian Americans experience psychological distress, participants also checked a larger number of cognitive symptoms as opposed to somatic symptoms. The present data suggest that Japanese American older adults conceptualize anxiety differently from the traditional psychiatric conceptualization of anxiety. Thus, clinicians and researchers should not generalize symptoms of psychological distress developed and researched on nonminority older adults to ethnic minority adults, and should consider such ethnic group differences in their assessment and treatment methods for ethnic minority adults.     

Clinical interventions and prevention for Asian American children and families: Current status and needed research

The current status of clinical interventions and prevention for Asian American children and/or adolescents and their families was assessed through a review of the literature on conceptual frameworks, cultural variables and related issues, and empirical studies. Five proposed approaches to treatment or prevention were examined. Some factors that might account for the slow progress of treatment research in this area were also discussed. These included conceptual and methodological issues; the paucity of data on psychopathology in this population; their low service-utilization rates; and societal images, values, and needs. Some needed directions for future research are suggested.     

The Challenges of Intercultural Marriage: Strategies for Pastoral Care

In this article, the author describes the unique issues associated with intercultural marriage. A case illustration provides the springboard for presenting specific pastoral care and counseling strategies that may be helpful to intercultural couples. These strategies include assessing worldview and acculturation, creating spiritual and cultural genograms, reframing cultural challenges, collaborating with indigenous healers, inventing new rituals, and developing the advocacy role.     

Listening for Safe Places: Networks of Playing and Chalcedon in Disaster Pastoral Care

Disaster pastoral care operates in diverse contexts, which may challenge clergy responders in ecclesiological meaning‐making of their practices of care. This article argues that pastoral care may be imagined as part of a larger “network” of caring acts understood as a collective, multiple care practice. Such practice reflects deep‐rooted movements described in psychoanalytical theory as playing, and the christological idea of communication of properties. Therein, spiritual “safe places” can be seen to emerge, even in the midst of traumatic events.     

The Search for Adam Revisited: Evolution,Biblical Literalism,and the Question of Human Uniqueness

Abstract

This article questions the adequacy of the philosophical category of realism in characterizing Rheticus' endorsement of Copernicus' astronomy. Rheticus and Osiander agree that the human intellect is restricted in its aspirations to truth, resulting in a condition of “causal ignorance” regarding the celestial phenomena on Rheticus' part. Copernicus' pupil advances trust in the most true hypothesis of the motion of the earth without postulating its absolute truth. Causal knowledge waits after Resurrection. In line with Luther's comment on Genesis 1:14, Rheticus ascribes a theological meaningfulness to the pursuit of mathematics, alerting the astronomer to his immortal soul and divine creation.     

Media exposure, internalization of the thin ideal, and body dissatisfaction: comparing Asian American and European American college females

Internalization of the thin ideal mediates the media exposure-body dissatisfaction relation in young adult European American females. There is little related research on Asian Americans. We used structural equations modeling to test: (1) whether media exposure was associated with body dissatisfaction in Asian American young adult females, (2) internalization of the thin ideal mediated any such association, and (3) whether the mediational model provided equivalent fit for European American and Asian American samples. Participants were 287 college females (154 Asian Americans, 133 European Americans). Internalization of the thin ideal explained the media exposure-body dissatisfaction association equally well for both groups. Results suggest that Asian Americans may be employing unhealthy weight control behaviors, and may be prone to developing eating disorders, at rates similar to European American young adult females. Clinicians need to screen carefully for body dissatisfaction, unhealthy weight control behaviors, and eating disorders in Asian American females.     

Realities and Myths of Safety Issues for Community Researchers Working in a Marginalized African American Community

Community psychologists often conduct research in collaboration with marginalized communities in which safety is an issue. However, we rarely talk about what specific safety issues we experience and how we deal with them. Our story describes the realities and myths of neighborhood safety that were experienced in a low-income African American neighborhood of Chicago, while collaborating on a project designed to increase access to the Internet to obtain health information. We examine both the challenges experienced and our responses in the context of a community intervention planned, implemented, and evaluated by a partnership team composed of various stakeholders. Critical lessons such as the importance of building on community strengths and the need to be aware of our own biases are discussed.