title: Using a cultural and RDoC framework to conceptualize anxiety in Asian Americans.
abstract: Asian Americans are one of the fastest growing minority groups in the United States; however, mental health within this population segment, particularly anxiety disorders, remains significantly understudied. Both the heterogeneity within the Asian American population and the multidimensional nature of anxiety contribute to difficulties in understanding anxiety in this population. The present paper reviewed two sources of heterogeneity within anxiety in Asian Americans: (1) cultural variables and (2) mechanisms or components of anxiety. Specifically, we examined four cultural variables most commonly found in research related to anxiety in Asian Americans: acculturation, loss of face, affect valuation, and individualism-collectivism. We also discussed ways to parse anxiety through a Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework, specifically focusing on sensitivity to acute and potential threat, constructs within the Negative Valence System. Previously unpublished preliminary data were presented to illustrate one way of examining ethnic differences in anxiety using an RDoC framework. Finally, this paper offered recommendations for future work in this area.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, United States.
authors.forename: Huiting
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, United States.
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lieberman
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, United States.
authors.forename: Elizabeth S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.affiliation: Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, United States.
authors.forename: Randy P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Auerbach
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, United States. Electronic address: stewarts@uic.edu.
authors.forename: Stewart A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shankman
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D001007:Anxiety; D001008:Anxiety Disorders; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D003210:Concept Formation; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
keywords: Anxiety; Asian Americans; Negative valence constructs