Asian American acculturation and ethnic/racial identity: research innovations in the new millennium--introduction to the special issue

Research on Asian American acculturation and ethnic/racial identity, although still in development, has evolved and progressed over the past few decades. Researchers are now developing and using more complex and advanced methods of examining these issues in a culturally and ethnically heterogeneous population. Indeed, this special issue of Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology demonstrates the diverse state-of-the-art research in this area. The coeditors of the special issue highlight themes and specific contributions to the literature for each article.

Are personality disorder criteria ethnically biased? A card-sort analysis

On the basis of methodology used in previous research on sex criterion bias, this study examined ethnicity criterion bias of personality disorders (PDs) defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., Rev.) and included examination of sex as well as ethnicity. A card-sort analysis using undergraduate college students as sorters indicated that criteria for all of the PDs were applied disproportionately by ethnicity, resulting in particular ethnic groups receiving diagnoses for specific PDs. Criteria were sorted systematically such that diagnoses of antisocial and paranoid PDs were assigned to African Americans, schizoid PD was assigned to Asian Americans, and schizotypal PD was assigned to Native Americans. All other PDs were assigned to European Americans, whereas none of the criteria were sorted resulting in any PD diagnosis being applied to Latinos. Implications for clinicians, methodological considerations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Brief symptom inventory scores of Asian, Asian-American, and European-American college students

Brief Symptom Inventory scores of Asian, Asian-American, and European-American university students were examined. It was hypothesized that Asian-Americans with low-medium levels of acculturation would show levels of distress similar to those found with Cheng, Leong, and Geist's sample of international Asian college students, whereas Asian-American research participants with higher levels of acculturation would report levels of distress more similar to European-American college students. The results indicated support for the influence of level of acculturation on the reporting of distress on the BSI and further indicated the need for future research on Asian-Americans to examine gender effects in addition to acculturation.

Depression and anxiety among Asian American elders: a review of the literature

Depression and anxiety are often reported to be the most common psychological disorders among older adults in the United States. As the population of older Asian American adults steadily increases, mental health practitioners will need to be apprised of the etiological, diagnostic, and treatment issues in working with this population. This article reviews the existing literature on depression and anxiety among older Asian American adults. Little empirical research has been conducted, and more research on the mental health status and needs of older Asian American adults is needed. In addition, improved recruitment of Asian Americans into the health-care professions as well as improved clinical and research training in an increasingly diverse society are imperative to addressing the lack of attention to the mental health needs of older Asian American adults.