South Asian American Students

South Asian Americans reflect a diverse group of people who can trace their ancestry to Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. South Asian Americans have greatly contributed to American culture and society in a variety of ways including entrepreneurship, art, cuisine, and much more. Due to limited research and lack of disaggregated data of the Asian American community, suicidality amongst the South Asian communicate remains an understudied issue. However, anecdotal evidence and newspaper articles are revealing that South Asian youth are at an elevated risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Additionally, there are studies that show South Asians are less likely to seek mental health services due to cultural stigma, further increasing risk.

Suicide risk increases with experiences such as:

• Racial prejudice and discrimination
• Stress associated with immigration
• Intergenerational culture clash
• Academic stress and pressure
• Physical illness/chronic medical conditions

Barriers to seeking help may include:

• Cultural stigma associated with mental health and concern over what others in the community might think
• Mismatch between cultural needs and culturally appropriate mental health services
• Potentially less awareness of available mental health services

Protective factors that can decrease risk:

• Strong cultural identity
• Sense of community
• Family support
• Religion & Spirituality that promote sense of belonging and help-seeking behavior
• Mental health initiatives within academic settings

Suicide prevention within South Asian American student communities may include:

• Raising mental health awareness within South Asian American communities to reduce stigma
• Student-led mental health events that promote help-seeking behavior
• General education around mental health topics
• Advocating for more research and funding to better understand the mental health needs of South Asians
• Advocating for more multilingual and culturally sensitive mental health services