The Model Minority Myth and Mental Health

The model minority myth stereotypes one cultural group, typically Asian Americans, as “intelligent, hard-working, and diligent and therefore more academically, socially, and economically successful than other minorities. It is a problematic and harmful belief that pits people of color against each other and drives a wedge between marginalized groups,” according to VeryWell Mind.

Despite its positive sounding language, the model minority myth actually reinforces stereotypes and has many negative repercussions, including impacting the mental health of those in that ethnic group.

The roots of the Model Minority Myth

In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, easing restrictions on immigration from Asian countries. The legislation was designed to counter a history of acts of violence against people of Japanese and Chinese ancestry.

In 1966, the New York Times published  “Success Story, Japanese-American Style,” which began:

“Asked which of the country’s ethnic minorities has been subjected to the most discrimination and the worst injustices, very few persons would even think of answering: ‘The Japanese Americans.’ Yet, if the question refers to persons alive today, that may well be the correct reply.”

The article continues:

“Barely more than 20 years after the end of the wartime camps, this is a minority that has risen above even prejudiced criticism…Even in a country whose patron saint is the Horatio Alger hero there is no parallel to this success story.”

This was the start of the myth, a narrative written by a reporter, someone not in the group in focus, and used by some, from then until now, to pit minorities against each other.

Effect on Mental Health

Today, the model minority myth still exists, suggesting that some ethnic minorities, primarily Asian, are models of conduct, cultural integration, academic proficiency, and professional success. And for many of those in that culture born in the US, the stereotypes the myth promotes have been “internalized,” according to an article in Medical News Today (MNT).

Prof. Gordon Nagayama Hall, from the University of Oregon tells MNT, “The myth is U.S.-based, and those born in the U.S. are more exposed to the myth and more influenced by it than their immigrant parents,” which can affect their mental health and well-being.

In the same MNT article, Hee-Young (a pseudonym used by MNT to protect her identity) corroborated the negative impact this myth can have on mental health with her personal experience.

“I personally had internalized that racism and oppression so intensely, and I saw myself becoming the smaller one and becoming the inferior one, especially when I was interacting with my white friends or other white people, and I [initially] didn’t understand where it came from.”

Real-Life Repercussions

A new memoir, They Called Us Exceptional, by Prachi Gupta examines how the model minority myth destroyed her family. A CNN article about the new book describes Gupta’s family:

“Her father was a doctor, her mother was a caring homemaker and she and her brother Yush were high achievers. They had settled into a grand, five-bedroom home in the Philadelphia suburbs, and never wanted for material comforts. This success, Gupta was raised to believe, was a testament to their hard work and Indian cultural values.”

Yush “learned to bury his emotions, leading him down a path” that Gupta said ultimately killed him. Gupta tells CNN, “We’re taught growing up that success solves all your problems. So if you work hard and you achieve, you won’t have mental health issues. I thought that all these rules I followed were to create stability, happiness, unity. I actually saw success as an antidote to suffering and an antidote to mental health issues. Now I know that that’s not true.”

“In fact, the focus on external validation and success in America causes a lot of mental health issues because we’re so focused on what others think of us and how others value us rather than learning how to develop our own sense of inner peace. We lose the ability to be vulnerable with each other when we’re focusing on how to project the right image to each other instead.”

Ankur Varma, who hosts a podcast and website called Brown Man Therapy said in an interview, “I think the model minority myth impacts folks’ mental health in the sense that it contributes to the notion that one mustn’t ask for help and should maintain their appearances to fit stereotypes placed on them by this myth.”

Mental Health Treatment Works

For many people, getting treatment for their mental health condition helps.  Some evidence supports that a combination of talk therapy and medication treatment works best for depression and anxiety. If you are considering mental health medication treatment for yourself or if you are a clinician considering mental health medications for your patients, GeneSight may be able to help. Genes are one factor that may impact the way someone responds to or metabolizes medications. Your unique genetic profile can help determine the rate at which your body metabolizes certain psychiatric medications. For example, if you are a fast metabolizer of a medication, you may need a higher dose; if you are a slow metabolizer of a medication, you may need a lower dose.

The GeneSight test has been ordered by tens of thousands of prescribing clinicians for more than 2 million people. With multiple clinical studies published in peer-reviewed journals, GeneSight is the only psychiatric pharmacogenomic test backed by such extensive research.

FOR CLINICIANS: For more information about how GeneSight can support you in your clinical practice, visit our overview page at https://genesight.com/for-clinicians/.

Read more:
How Minority Cultures Talk About Depression

Racism, Discrimination and Mental Health

Mental Illness Knows No Race

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