American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
Volume 74, Issue 4, 2004, Pages 456-466

When Asian immigrant women speak: From mental health to strategies of being (Article)

Wong Y.-L.R.* , Tsang A.K.T.
  • a York University, Canada, School of Social Work, York University, Toronto, Ont., Canada, School of Social Work, Kinsmen Building, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ont. M3J 1P3, Canada
  • b University of Toronto, Canada, Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada

Abstract

Immigrant women from 5 ethnic-cultural communities (Korean, Hong Kong Chinese, Mainland Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada participated in a focus group study (13 focus groups of 102 participants) of Asian immigrant women's conceptions of mental health. Their responses challenge the predominant conceptualizations of mental health in North America, the popular characterization of Asian culture as collectivistic, and the stereotypic image of Asian women as defining themselves in family relations. In trying to live a life they desire and to quest for a better state of well-being, these women have asserted their agency to articulate multiple strategies of being.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

immigrant Asian Stereotyping mental health human wellbeing Asia Ethnic Groups ethnic group controlled study Humans family sociology female Article Family Relations Ontario adult Emigration and Immigration Cultural Characteristics Focus Groups
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-8544238530&doi=10.1037%2f0002-9432.74.4.456&partnerID=40&md5=4151879048605bf21db71d701e27388a
DOI: 10.1037/0002-9432.74.4.456
ISSN: 00029432
Cited by: 27
Original Language: English