The cultural adjustment and mental health of Japanese immigrant youth.
Interviews were conducted with eight Japanese immigrant youth about their experiences with respect to adjusting to life in the United States, dealing with discrimination, and coping with cultural challenges. They were also questioned about their mental health and family and peer relations. Results indicate that participants managed to maintain bicultural identities and to cope with the problems that they encountered. Nevertheless, they experienced the following difficulties: racism and prejudice, language barriers, and conflict regarding identity and values. In terms of coping, participants mostly relied on friends for support; only one had sought the help of a professional counselor. The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of working with immigrant youth from Japan.
Yeh
Christine J
CJ
Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, New York, New York 10027, USA. cy101@columbia.edu
Arora
Agnes K
AK
Inose
Mayuko
M
Okubo
Yuki
Y
Li
Robin H
RH
Greene
Pamela
P
D000069:Acculturation; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D019303:Multilingualism; D009519:New York City; D010379:Peer Group; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012933:Social Identification; D012944:Social Support; D012945:Social Values