MLSAAF Newest Study Updates:
Suicidal Ideation
Mental Health Crisis in Asian American Young Adults
Did you know suicide is a leading cause of death among Asian Americans ages 15-24? Asian Americans are the only group in this age range with this pattern. This is a serious public health problem, although not widely known even in our own communities.
Our study participants are no exception – we found notably high rates of mental health distress. The proportion of our participants who thought of ending life (i.e. suicidal ideation) was 9.87% in 2014 (Wave 1), 12.06% in 2016 (Wave 2), then skyrocketed to 16.28% in 2018 (Wave 3) and 16.18% in 2020 (Wave 4). Based on the survey data we have collected so far in 2024 for Wave 5, the rate remains high at 20%. These rates are dramatically higher than those of comparable groups, at times twice as much.
What is the Reason for this Distress?
Based on the data you have provided over the last 10 years (2014-2024), we have found two main stressors that contribute to young adult mental health distress: an acculturation gap between parents and children, and racial experiences. Parent-child relationships in Asian American families are indeed often strained by intergenerational acculturation gaps and conflict. In addition, we have various experiences in how we are treated with regard to our race/ethnic background. Many participants have reported having more negative racial experiences during the last few years than prior periods, the effects of which have significantly impacted themselves and members of our community.
Included below is some data from our present ongoing Wave 5. Of course, young adulthood and family relationships are full of challenges, active exploration and uncertainty, and the circumstances surrounding Asian American development grow ever complicated as we continue to explore. We are grateful for your continued involvement with us and we hope to better understand these questions with you!
MLSAAF Study Results
The MLSAAF team is working hard to provide you with survey results. New survey results will be posted on this page regularly.
Demographic Information
Curious about our study participants?
The tables on the left show demographic results collected from Wave 5 as of Oct. 18 2024:
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Distribution of gender in the young adult sample
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Distribution of work status in the young adult sample
Depressive Symptoms
Study participants in our ongoing Wave 5 have so far shown increased rates of suicidal ideation but decreased rates of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) compared to Wave 4. A deeper look into the self-reported depression of our Wave 5 participants is provided in the second slide.
Experiences of Discrimination
Our study participants reported increased experiences of discrimination in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. The table to the left compares rates of reported discrimination between Waves 4 and 5, suggesting that participants in Wave 5 have continued to have these experiences. The asked items are included above.
Parent-Child Conflict
Examining parent-child relationships is important to understanding the role family plays in shaping young adults' development. The tables to the left compare young adults' self-report of parental control, parent-child conflict, and intergenerational family conflict (2nd slide) between Waves 4 and 5. Asked items are included above.