Cornell University announced in 2006 that 13 of the 21 students at Cornell who had committed suicide since 1996 were Asian or Asian American. What was even more disconcerting was that Asian Americans only represented 14 percent of the entire student body. Among women aged 65 and above, Asian and Pacific Islanders have the highest rate of suicide. Sui cide is the second leading cause of death among Asian Americans, ages 15-34 years. While suicide among Asian Americans is a prevalent issue, Asian America has been reluctant to acknowledge mental health problems. Dr. Y. Joel Wong, Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology and Counseling/Counselor Education at Indiana University Bloomington, is one of the few researchers to fill the gaps in public discourse through his research on suicide among Asian Americans. Wong discussed his current research on the topic and his recommendations for future research with Conducive’s Brielle Nikaido.
What Can We Do About Suicide Among Asian Americans?
By Brielle Nikaido
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2010 CONDUCIVE
Brielle Nikaido: What inspired you to research suicide among Asian Americans?
Joel Wong: A couple of years ago, I gained access to a large data set on college students who considered suicide. I obtained permission to analyze the data on Asian Americans – that got me started on this area of research. I became passionate about suicide prevention in Asian American communities for a number of reasons – for one, it is under-researched; for another, this is a topic that has immense implications – suicide is preventable; yet when a person commits suicide, it is completely irreversible and inflicts immense psychological pain on others.
Brielle Nikaido: In your book chapter, “Counseling Asian American Men With Suicidal Behavior”, you write that Asian American men are caught in a ”double-bind”. Can you elaborate on this?
Joel Wong: Asian American men are in a double bind in that they are at greater risk than Asian American women for completing suicides but are also less likely than Asian American women to seek professional psychological help. Hence, suicide prevention efforts for Asian American men must include ways to encourage these men to seek help.
Brielle Nikaido: Asian Americans have been stereotyped as the model minority, a diligent minority group able to overcome racial injustices in the United States to achieve academic and financial success. This stereotype can be especially detrimental to Asian American college students, who feel pressure to excel academically. Does this stereotype lead to different mental health risks for Asian American men and women?
Joel Wong: I’m not aware of any research indicating that the model minority stereotype affects Asian American women and men differently in regards to suicide. I’m not saying there aren’t any gender differences; rather, this is an area that deserves further research. I am currently conducting a study on how stereotypes affect Asian American women and men’s mental health – perhaps if you check with me in about a year’s time, I might have an update for you!
Brielle Nikaido: A recent study by Aileen Duldulao and her colleagues found that U.S.-born Asian American women were more likely to think about and attempt suicide than Asian American immigrants. Thomas Joiner’s interpersonal theory of suicide posits that individuals who commit suicide have three traits: feelings of being isolated from a valued social group, perceived burdensomeness, and the ability for self-harm. Why is Thomas Joiner’s theory important to the suicide research specifically among Asian Americans?
Joel Wong: Yes, Joiner’s theory should be employed in future research – one angle we can explore is whether U.S.-born Asian American women have elevated rates of suicidal behavior because they perceive themselves to be a burden and do not feel like they belong (according to Joiner, these two interpersonal problems are risk factors for suicide). Joiner’s theory may be relevant to Asian Americans because its focus on interpersonal issues as critical risk factors for suicide is consistent with Asian cultural notions that see suicide as a response to an intractable interpersonal problem rather than as a mental illness.
Brielle Nikaido: So, because Asian Americans are more likely to think suicide is a result of interpersonal problems, it is important to study Asian American’s cultural values that contribute to suicide. Your manuscript, “Risk and Protective Factors Associated With Asian American Students’ Suicidal Ideation: A Multi-Campus, National Study” (in press), found that participants who reported seriously considering suicide in the past 12 months cited recent family, academic, and financial problems as the three most common events preceding suicidal thoughts. What recommendations would you give to suicide prevention programs and mental health workers in light of these risk factors?
Joel Wong: It is important to recognize that many Asian American college students who think of killing themselves may be reluctant to seek help from a professional counselor because of the stigma attached. However, they might be willing to disclose their problems to other college professionals such as academic advisors, resident assistants, and faculty. These gatekeepers should be trained to recognize potential risk factors for suicidal thoughts, such as family, academic, and financial problems, and to intervene directly and swiftly, e.g., by asking Asian American students about potential suicidal thoughts and encouraging them to seek professional help. Second, any therapeutic intervention that addresses family, academic, and financial problems among Asian Americans can potentially be conceptualized as a suicide prevention strategy.
Dr. Y. Joel Wong is a professor of Counseling/Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology at Indiana University Bloomington. His major research interests include Asian/Asian American psychology and the psychology of men and masculinities. With regard to Asian/Asian American psychology, his overarching interest is the relationship between cultural variables and mental health. In terms of professional experience, he is currently the communications officer of the Prevention Section and the Editor of the Section on Ethnic and Racial Diversity Newsletter in Division 17 (Counseling Psychology), APA. He is also an ad hoc reviewer for Journal of Counseling Psychology, Psychology of Men and Masculinity, and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. For more information, please visit his website.
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