Beyond the surface
Understanding Mental Health Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Youth
For too long, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) have largely been left out of the conversation on mental health in America.
While the years following the pandemic have seen an increased interest from policy leaders and the research community in the mental health of our country’s youth, the specific needs of our community have largely been overlooked.
According to CDC data from 2018–2022, suicide was the leading cause of death among Asian Americans aged 15–24, and the second leading cause of death among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, highlighting a critical and urgent issue. TAAF believes it is time to break through pervasive stereotypes about the perceived wellness of our community to begin addressing the historic underinvestment and lack of attention to the challenges of our young people. We must begin an open, constructive dialogue about the unique struggles and pressures AANHPI youth face so that, together, we can find a path toward healing.
As a critical step on that journey, we are proud to present Beyond the Surface, one of the most comprehensive studies exploring the mental health of AANHPI youth, consisting of qualitative findings from youth focus groups and quantitative data from a nationally representative survey of over 1,400 young people aged 14–25 years from all major AANHPI subgroups.
We hope our findings inspire conversation, reflection, and–ultimately–action. Whether you’re a service provider, a mental health professional, a researcher, a funder, a policymaker, a parent, or a young person yourself, you have a critical role to play in making sure that this next chapter in our community’s future is a better and brighter one for young AANHPIs everywhere.
Many AANHPI youth report experiencing depressive symptoms and have planned or attempted suicide. Subgroup data is more striking, revealing struggles.
Almost half of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders scored above the threshold for moderate depression, based on a widely-used screening tool. Pacific Islanders, those who identify as LGBTQ+, and those who are 18–25 yrs old reported depressive symptoms at higher rates than others.
PHQ-9 scores among participants
3 in 10 young AANHPIs report having planned or attempted suicide in their lifetime. Females, multiracial youth, those who identify as LGBTQ+, and those in the 18–25 age group are more likely to be at risk.
Percentage who reported having made a plan and/or an attempt to end their own life in their lifetime.
The biggest stressor on mental health is the pressure—both from themselves and from family—to succeed. Racial and ethnic experiences play a big role too.
Young AANHPIs are most negatively affected by pressure from self and from family.
Which stressors very or extremely negatively impact AANHPI youth?
93% of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander young people say they’ve experienced race-based discrimination in the past 12 months. 18–25 year olds are more likely to be severely impacted by race-based discrimination, as compared to 14–17 year olds.
While some young people may turn to parents when seeking help with mental health concerns, others may feel there are barriers.
Over half (53%) of AANHPI report feeling comfortable talking to their parents when having a tough time emotionally or mentally.
Participants comfortable talking to a parent/caregiver when having a tough time emotionally or mentally.
When asked what would keep them from talking to parents about mental health, young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders cite not wanting to burden them (55%) as a top reason.
What would keep you from talking to your parent(s)/caregiver(s) about more support for your mental or emotional health?
Youth have a range of suggestions for ways that the community can help support their mental health.
14–17 year olds suggest training programs for parents and caregivers on mental health needs (36%), while 18–25 year olds cite more accessible and culturally responsive mental health professionals (34%). Both groups indicate that wellness spaces (42% each age group) and mental health apps (34% each age group) may also be useful.
What would be most likely to have a positive impact on your mental health?
Resources
The topics covered in this report can spark difficult feelings. If you need support, there are several resources available for AANHPI communities:
To find or speak with a mental health provider:
- Call or text 988 and get connected with a trusted provider
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
If you/someone you know is contemplating suicide:
- Asians for Mental Health
- SouthAsianTherapists.org
- AAPA Provider Directory
- Teen Talk App
- Call the Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities at
1-800-881-8502
Our Advisors
We’re grateful to the following experts for their guidance throughout every phase of this study, from survey conceptualization to recommendations, and for the dedication they’ve shown to AANHPI communities throughout their careers. Without their support, this study would not have been possible.
Academic Advisory Committee
- Cindy H. Liu, PhD (Chair)
Harvard Medical School
Brigham and Women's Hospital - Victoria Chau, PhD
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - Charissa S. L. Cheah, PhD
University of Maryland, Baltimore County - Anna Lau, PhD
University of California, Los Angeles - Vaishali Raval, PhD
Miami University - Anne Saw, PhD
DePaul University - Andrew Subica, PhD
University of California, Riverside - David Takeuchi, PhD
University of Washington - Jenny T. Wang, PhD
Author of Permission to Come Home
Community Advisory Committee
- DJ Ida, PhD (Chair)
Executive Director Emeritus of the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) - Jian (Lily) Chen
Founding Executive Director of United Chinese Americans Youth Mental Health Collaborative WAVES - Sierra Fox-Woods
Program Manager at New Venture Fund - Russell Jeung, PhD
Professor of Asian American Studies,San Francisco State University - Sanjog Kaur
Director of Programs at the
Sikh Family Center - Sahaj Kaur Kohli
Founder of Brown Girl Therapy - Josephine M. Kim, PhD
Founder of Mustard Seed Generation
Senior Lecturer on Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education - Caroline Lee, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist - Patsy Tito, PhD
Executive Director of the Samoan Community Development Center
Youth Researchers & Advisors
- Priya Bhatia
- Sophie Chen
- Kathleen Phuong Thuy Hoang
- Kawaialoha Yamamoto
Acknowledgements
This study was led by members of TAAF’s Data & Research team:
- Sruthi Chandrasekaran
Director of Data and Research - Matt Kamibayashi
Senior Research Associate
Report production was led by TAAF’s Communications & Marketing team:
- Joy Moh
Head of Communications and Marketing - Jon Stone
Director of Communications - Polly Fong
Creative Manager - Beverly Liang
Project Manager - Lakshmi Hutchinson
Content Writer
We’re also grateful to the following individuals at TAAF for their support and input throughout the study:
- Norman Chen
Chief Executive Officer - Georgette Bhathena
Chief Programs Officer - Andy Kang
Director of Anti-Hate - Masum Momaya
Director of Narrative Change - Eugena Oh
Regional Director, New York - Lena Pham
Database and Research Specialist - April Yee
Director of Education
Finally, we thank the following organizations for their collaboration:
- BSP Research
- The DataFace
- Child Trends