Smith ScholarWorks Theses, Dissertations, and Projects 2017 From yellow peril to model minority : ǂb deconstruction of the model minority myth and implications for the invisibility of Asian American mental health needs Lynda Anne Moy Smith College Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses Part of the Social Work Commons Recommended Citation Moy, Lynda Anne, "From yellow peril to model minority : ǂb deconstruction of the model minority myth and implications for the invisibility of Asian American mental health needs" (2017). Masters Thesis, Smith College, Northampton, MA. https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/1909 This Masters Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Dissertations, and Projects by an authorized administrator of Smith ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Lynda Anne Moy From Yellow Peril to Model Minority: Deconstruction of the Model Minority Myth and Implications for the Invisibility of Asian American Mental Health Needs ABSTRACT The model minority myth is a racial stereotype imposed upon Asian Americans, often depicting them as a successful and high-achieving monolithic group in the United States. This paper examines sociopolitical functions of the term “model minority” and implications for this broad and diverse racial group by reviewing existing literature and conducting an analysis of qualitative interviews with 12 Asian Americans. The findings of this study suggest that while the model minority myth appears to be a positive stereotype, it may lead Asian Americans to experience distress through (a.) a sense of confinement, (b.) treatment as foreigners, and (c.) erasure and invisibility of challenges around identity, racism and discrimination, immigrant and refugee experiences, mental health, and accessing culturally sensitive resources.