This study examined the impact of acculturative stress and social support (family and friend) on psychological distress among Asian American immigrants and three Asian sub-groups (Vietnamese, Filipino and Chinese) immigrants. The National Latino and Asian American Study 2002–2003 dataset was used. The study findings were: (1) among all Asian American immigrants high language barrier and discrimination stress were associated with increased level of psychological distress, but similar association was not present for legal stress; (2) among all Asian American immigrants high family social support decreased the levels of psychological distress, and in addition, friend social support buffered the relationship of discrimination and psychological distress; and (3) among Vietnamese, Filipino, and Chinese, differential association of social support and acculturative stress to psychological distress were observed. These findings highlight the importance of social support among Asian American immigrants, while also paying attention to the variation that may exist between different sub-groups. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Social support immigrants Acculturative stress National Latino Asian American Study Asian American Psychological distress

Vietnam communication barrier China Communication Barriers human epidemiology friend sex difference Stress, Psychological mental stress time factor Time Factors social support language ethnology United States Humans migrant family racism psychology Asian Americans male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation Viet Nam Asian American Socioeconomic Factors female socioeconomics cultural factor adult age Sex Factors Age Factors Friends Philippines