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Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 5/2013

01-10-2013 | Original Paper

Perceived Discrimination and Psychological Distress Among Asian Americans: Does Education Matter?

Authors: Wei Zhang, Seunghye Hong

Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health | Issue 5/2013

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Abstract

Using data from the National Latino and Asian American Study, this work examines if and how perceived everyday discrimination is associated with psychological distress among Asian Americans and whether this association varies by important structural factors as education and place of education. Findings reveal that perception of discrimination is associated with increased levels of psychological distress. Most importantly, education moderates the discrimination-distress association such that the detrimental effect of discrimination is stronger for Asian Americans with college or more levels of education than for Asian Americans with less than college levels of education. Place of education further conditions the moderating effect of education: The foreign-educated Asian Americans with higher levels of education are affected most negatively by discrimination compared to others. This study highlights (1) the significant joint role of education and place of education in conditioning the relationship between perceived discrimination and psychological distress, and (2) unique features of education in improving our understanding of Asian Americans’ mental health.
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Metadata
Title
Perceived Discrimination and Psychological Distress Among Asian Americans: Does Education Matter?
Authors
Wei Zhang
Seunghye Hong
Publication date
01-10-2013
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Issue 5/2013
Print ISSN: 1557-1912
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1920
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9676-5

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