Asian American college students face unique mental health challenges shaped by cultural stigma, racial discrimination, and the lasting impacts of COVID-19, yet often underutilize support services due to stigma, limited awareness, and lack of culturally responsive care. This research at CUNY Staten Island uses surveys, Photovoice, and focus groups to examine these issues and guide the development of equitable, culturally responsive campus mental health interventions.

THE PURPOSE: To examine mental health challenges and barriers to mental health service utilization from Asian American college students.

PHOTOVOICE PROJECT: The project utilized the Photovoice method where each participant gathered photos that showcase their experiences and perspectives based on particular questions.

FOCUS GROUP: The focus group interview utilized the SHOWeD Method (Wang & Burris, 1997) in which together, the participants viewed each photograph and answered questions such as: What do you see here? What is really happening here?

THE RESULTS: The participants shared meaningful and insightful stories of their experiences of mental health challenges.

More information on the research can be found below.

OUR RESEARCH

Implications

Research Methods

This project used a mixed-methods approach, combining a quantitative survey (n=31) with a qualitative Photovoice interview. The survey assessed Asian American students’ mental health conditions, service use, and perceived barriers, while Photovoice allowed participants to capture and reflect on their lived experiences through photography. Using the SHOWeD Method (Wang & Burris, 1997), participants engaged in focus group discussions to interpret their photos and share the meanings behind them, offering creative and personal insights into mental health challenges and barriers to care.

Findings

The study found that many Asian American college students face moderate depression and anxiety, with 10% reporting suicidal thoughts and 20% noting academic impacts, yet 86% had not received counseling and over half were unsure about insurance coverage. It is also critical to note that the students were not generally thriving, reflecting not only distress but a lack of protective psychological resources.

Qualitative findings revealed themes of cultural stigma, first-generation pressures, anti-Asian discrimination, pandemic-related fear, and the damaging effects of the “Model Minority” myth. Students reported heavy academic and familial pressures tied to self-worth, stigma that discouraged seeking help, and heightened isolation from COVID-19 and anti-Asian hate. Coping strategies ranged from hobbies and clubs to therapy, but barriers such as long wait times, session limits, and a lack of culturally competent providers left many feeling unsupported. Overall, participants emphasized the urgent need for accessible, diverse, and culturally responsive mental health services.

This study highlights the urgent need for accessible, culturally responsive mental health services for Asian American college students, who face financial and systemic barriers, long wait times, limited counseling sessions, and difficulty finding therapists attuned to their cultural and intergenerational experiences. These gaps are especially harmful for students navigating academic and familial pressures, stigma around mental illness, and racial trauma intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing these challenges requires increasing the number of campus counselors, prioritizing the recruitment of Asian American and bilingual mental health professionals, and integrating cultural competence and humility training across student support services. Expanding peer-led initiatives, student organizations, and holistic programs that combine counseling with academic mentorship, community engagement, and physical activities can better support students’ emotional and social development.

Proactive interventions, such as wellness workshops, culturally inclusive mindfulness training, peer support groups, and emotional literacy curricula, can help students build self-awareness, regulate emotions, and foster resilience, promoting both mental health and overall flourishing. Institutions should also improve insurance transparency, expand telemental health options, and implement clear communication around available resources.

From an advocacy perspective, this research highlights the need for systemic change in higher education policies and funding, including greater investment in diverse counseling staff, reduced student-to-counselor ratios, and culturally tailored public awareness campaigns that combat stigma and dismantle the model minority myth. Centering Asian American students’ voices and experiences can foster community, accountability, and long-term institutional change, creating a more supportive campus environment.