“This study is a first step in debunking the stereotype of Asian Pacific Island youth, especially that which depicts them as having polarized behavior,” says study author Dr. Yoonsun Choi, an assistant professor at UC’s School of Social Service Administration.
The stereotype of API youth which characterizes them as being simultaneously high achieving and prone to delinquent behavior comes from studies that look at group behavior rather than individual behavior, Choi says. Asian American young people are the highest academically achieving ethnic group in the country. At the same time, some API youth exhibit criminal behavior.
Like youth of all races, Asian Americans with high GPAs report many fewer problems with crime, pregnancy and alcohol abuse, according to the paper, “Academic Achievement and Problem Behaviors among Asian Pacific Islander American Adolescents” published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.
“It is critical that interventions be designed to appropriately respond to the needs of diverse racial and ethnic groups, and not be driven by stereotypes or assumed needs,” Choi says.
— Diverse staff reports
© Copyright 2005 by DiverseEducation.com
