Associations Between Perceived Discrimination and Relationship Quality among Asian and Pacific Islander Parent-Adult Child Dyads: Stress as a Mediator

Experiences of perceived racial discrimination are all too common for Asian Americans living in the United States. While there is research demonstrating the negative impact of discrimination on individual well-being, there is a scarcity of literature addressing the potential associations between discrimination and family relationships outcomes, particularly the relationships between Asian American emerging adults and their parents. Drawing from family and stress theories, it was hypothesized that perceived discrimination, including blatant and subtle forms of discrimination, would be negatively associated with various aspects of relationship quality and that these associations would be mediated by general stress. The present study collected data from 137 Asian American parent-adult children dyads to examine the associations between discrimination, general stress, and parent-child relationship quality. Actor and partner associations were also tested in order to account for the interdependence of dyadic data. Results showed support for the negative direct association between discrimination and relationship quality for both children and parents, as well as the mediator role of stress. Findings from this study also have important implications for counseling to promote the mental health of Asian American emerging adults and families.