A comparative study of Vietnamese Amerasians, their non-Amerasian siblings, and unrelated, like-aged Vietnamese immigrants

OBJECTIVE: The authors compared the personal histories, levels of psychological distress, and adaptation to American life of Vietnamese Amerasians (N=140), their non-Amerasian siblings (N=71), and a group of unrelated, like-aged Vietnamese immigrants (N=118). METHOD: Subjects completed two self-administered symptom checklists and provided demographic and personal history data. RESULTS: Vietnamese Amerasians differed significantly from the other two groups on measures of alcohol use, number of hospitalizations, years of education, childhood trauma, perceived effects of trauma, and score on the Vietnamese Depression Scale. The Amerasians did not, however, differ on measures of social support or in their success at adapting to life in the United States. CONCLUSIONS: Despite multiple disadvantages, Vietnamese Amerasians appear to be adapting to life in the United States as well as other like-aged Vietnamese immigrants.