Asian American Identity Development: A Culture Specific Model for South Asian Americans

Abstract

Ethnic identity development of South Asian Americans, primarily Indian and Pakistan Americans is explored. Cultural identity is placed in the context of the social, psychological, political, and historical context of the Indian subcontinent and the United States. A framework for understanding South Asian American identity development is proposed for both the immigrant, and the native born. Cultural and gender identity, and the worldview of South Asian Americans is also addressed.

Role of Social Support in Examining Acculturative Stress and Psychological Distress Among Asian American Immigrants and Three Sub-groups: Results from NLAAS

“…These low reports have been explained by the protective effect of cultural buffering, i.e. cultural values that endorse emotional restraint and fear of losing face [7][8][9]. Additional disaggregation of the heterogeneous Asian American population in research aids in clarifying these mixed reports on their prevalence and incidence of mental disorder [6,10,11].…”

Rights-Based Education for South Asian Sponsored Wives in International Arranged Marriages

“…South Asians include Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs who have immigrated to Canada from India, Pakistan, and the surrounding areas of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka (Ibrahim, Ohnishi, & Sandhu, 1997). During the colonial period, these areas were collectively referred to as British India (Jyoti, 2005).…”

Feminist Group Counseling with South Asian Women Who Have Survived Intimate Partner Violence∗

“…Despite these seemingly opposing values of individualism and collectivism, South Asian women actually do incorporate both in their interpersonal relationships (Ibrahim, Ohnishi, & Sandhu, 1997). A South Asian worldview emphasizes individual control and respect of emotions and behavior in addition to possessing a strong sense of individual dignity.…”

“…Because of the significant impact of these identities on the members' participation and experiences in group, it may be helpful for group counselors using similar feminist interventions with South Asian women to address how these identities impact their experience of IPV and their resulting coping. It is also important to consider the congruence of feminist group counseling with this population because of the strong cultural values of humility and modesty in their social interactions (Gupta, 1999;Ibrahim et al, 1997;Leong, 1992;Uba, 1994). Essentially, South Asian women may not respond to traditional group counseling approaches that emphasize confrontation, independence, and verbalization (Baruth & Manning, 2003;Ibrahim et al 1997;Sharma, 2000).…”