Florida State University researchers present a new study revealing the critical role family ties play in Asian American mental health. In researching how family and cultural factors impacted major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder, and substance use disorder, Amy L. Ai, professor in the College of Social Work at Florida State University who led the interdisciplinary study said, “Understanding the protection of collective cultural strengths for, as well as the impact of negative factors such as discrimination on the mental health of Asian-Americans, is relevant due to a recent spike in violence against them. We hope that this type of understanding leads to further prospective research and the adoption of more culturally sensitive health interventions in care for Asian Americans.” According to StopAAPIHate, over 6,600 hate incidents have been recorded between March 2020 to March 2021.
In the student newspaper Diamondback News, University of Maryland students Rachel Hunt and Sofia Garay outline ways to nurture mental and physical health from the Diamondback’s 2021 Orientation Guide. The student writers share their perspective from their own experiences in mental health, advising to set better boundaries within living spaces, manage self-accountability, and filter media consumption. They also describe scheduling time to take better care of physical health and maintaining a hobby to produce daily joy outside of academic coursework.