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Demographic and Social Variables Associated with Psychiatric and School-Related Indicators for Asian/Pacific-Islander Adolescents

Native Hawaiian Mental Health Research Development Program (NHMHRDP), Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine, earlhish{at}aol.com

Ronald C. Johnson

Department of Psychology, University of Hawai‘i at Mnoa, Honolulu, Hawai‘i

Barry S. Carlton

Native Hawaiian Mental Health Research Development Program (NHMHRDP), Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Naleen N. Andrade

Native Hawaiian Mental Health Research Development Program (NHMHRDP), Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Stephanie T. Nishimura

Native Hawaiian Mental Health Research Development Program (NHMHRDP), Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Deborah A. Goebert

Native Hawaiian Mental Health Research Development Program (NHMHRDP), Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Noelle Y.C. Yuen

Native Hawaiian Mental Health Research Development Program (NHMHRDP), Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Eldon L. Wegner

Department of Sociology, University of Hawai‘i at Mnoa, Honolulu, Hawai‘i

George K. Makini, JR

Native Hawaiian Mental Health Research Development Program (NHMHRDP), Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Linda B. Nahulu

Native Hawaiian Mental Health Research Development Program (NHMHRDP), Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Iwalani R.N. Else

Native Hawaiian Mental Health Research Development Program (NHMHRDP), Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Janice Y. Chang

Native Hawaiian Mental Health Research Development Program (NHMHRDP), Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Background: Factors associated with Asian/Pacific-Islander adolescent adjustment is a greatly neglected research area.

Aims: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relation between demographic, social and adjustment measures based on a large-scale investigation of Asian/Pacific-Islander youths.

Method: A total of 2577 adolescents were surveyed across 4 public schools in Hawai‘i during the 1992-1993 school year.

Results: Three social variables (number of relatives frequently seen, family support and friends’ support) exhibited statistically significant but low correlations. Family support had the highest negative association with the four psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety, aggression, substance use). Friends’ support was inconsistently associated with the adjustment measures, and the number of relatives frequently seen resulted in negligible effects. In contrast, demographic variables, especially ethnicity, played a much greater role in the association with the four school-related measures (grade-point average, absences, suspensions, conduct infractions).

Discussion: For Asian/Pacific-Islander youths, the quality of the social supports, including family relations, may be particularly important in the adolescents’ adjustment. When examining school-related outcomes, demographic variables, with particular emphases on ethnicity and culture, must be considered. When developing and implementing prevention and intervention services and programs, consideration of family and ethnic-cultural influences should be taken into account, with further research needed in several related domains: other SES influences, life stressors, migration-generational effects, ethnic identity, self-concept indicators and socio-political aspects.

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, Vol. 50, No. 4, 301-318 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0020764004046074


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