Research Spotlight: Understanding mental health in Korean American families
How can we talk about mental health with our families?
Michelle Kang | M.Ed. Harvard Graduate School of Education
Imagine coming home and noticing that something is off with your parents. You can tell that they are anxious or upset about something, but they don't say a word about it. How does it make you feel? Now, consider the reverse: you notice that your child is feeling down, but they pretend that everything's alright and refuse to talk about it. How do you feel? If your answer is somewhere along the lines of anxious, worried, frustrated, you are not alone. This emotional connection is natural for parents and their children, and the challenge of communicating mental health concerns is especially common among Korean American families. Understanding and addressing these intertwined mental health challenges is crucial for fostering healthier family communications and mental health.
Depression among Korean American families
Depression is a significant issue for young people worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, depression is one of the leading health problems among youth. Asian American youth are more likely to suffer from depression compared to their white counterparts, with Korean American youth being at the highest risk. Unfortunately, this trend can be seen among Korean American adults as well.
Why is this the case? The unique cultural and environmental stressors faced by Korean American individuals can lead to detrimental mental health issues. Many Korean American families live in areas where they are a minority, leading to feelings of isolation and difficulty integrating into mainstream culture. Language barriers and discrimination further complicate their experience, impacting both parents and children.
When Korean American individuals return home, these external stressors can affect parent-child relationships. The strong cultural value placed on emotional control can lead to bottling up feelings, a phenomenon known as “Hwabyeong (화병).” Hwabyeong manifests through physical symptoms such as insomnia and indigestion, as expressing mental distress directly is often seen as less acceptable. Hwabyeong, or “anger illness,” arises from the cultural tendency to suppress emotions. The stress of adapting to life in the U.S. can amplify these tendencies, making Hwabyeong more common among Korean American immigrants even than those living in Korea. The act of bottling up emotions doesn’t just affect the individual; it also impacts their family. Children are particularly sensitive to their parents' hidden emotions. Despite efforts to maintain a facade of control, these emotions can seep through, affecting the entire family’s mental health.
How can we talk about mental health with our families?
Showing control over your emotions is such a valued characteristic. Moreover, communicating your emotions can help you manage them in a healthy way. Given the strong connection between parent and child mental health in Korean American families, addressing these issues requires a family-centered approach. Here are some tips to how you could start conversations about mental health with your family:
Sharing activities that do not require ‘seriousness’, such as playing games or watching tv shows. Engaging in fun activities can help pave the way for deeper conversations in the future.
Vocalizing emotions. Processing and explaining your emotions can ease the other person's anxiety without burdening them, as it helps them understand the source of your emotions rather than anxiously guessing what might be troubling you. For parents, verbally expressing their emotions can serve as a model for kids on how to verbalize their feelings and regulate emotions.
Featuring: Culturally Specific Parent Mental Distress, Parent–Child Relations and Youth Depression among Korean American Families
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