I Need to Outperform My Colleagues: Bicultural Asian Human Service Workers Describe Their Working Conditions As a Person with Model Minority Stereotypes

Background and Purpose: Through the framework of Asian Critical Race Theory (CRT), this research explores how racially informed factors impact bicultural Asian human service workers' (HSWs) working conditions. The racially informed factors of Asians are composed of racial positioning and racial realities. The racial positioning of Asians is understood as how Asian racial groups are regarded in U.S. society, and it is based on model minority groups and perpetual foreigner stereotypes. The racial realities of Asians are understood as the state or quality of being true to oneself against being treated as one monolithic group, and they are based on Asian subgroup belongingness and Intersectionality. This research employs a phenomenological approach in order to understand the lived experience of bicultural Asian HSWs and their working conditions in Human Service Organizations (HSOs).

Methods: This IRB-approved study used purposive sampling to arrive at a sample of 11 bicultural Asian HSWs in a major metropolitan United States city. Using Zoom, interviews were conducted via an in-depth, open-ended modality in the Winter and Spring of 2022-2023. After receiving permission from the participants, the interviewers were recorded and transcribed verbatim, while stripping out all identifiers. The interview consisted of five main questions and nineteen sub-questions. Based on the Asian CRT and its four main tenets (Asianization and Transnational contexts as racial positioning, and (Anti)essentialism and Intersectionality as racial realities), analysis was done using a constant comparative method through three data coding cycles (descriptive, focused, and theoretical coding) as well as member-checking.

Results: Findings indicate that most bicultural Asian HSWs experience higher workloads and role ambiguity due to their HSOs' and clients' expectations. At the same time, there is a lack of resources at the local, state, and federal levels. In addition, facing pandemic-related anti-Asian racism, Asian HSWs share that institutional racism became bolstered as a large portion of U.S. society persisted in blaming Asians as the virus carriers. This sentiment puts more pressure on Asian people and bicultural Asian HSWs simultaneously to meet the needs of their Asian clients who suffer both physically and mentally during the pandemic. Because of "model minority" and "perpetual foreigner" stereotypes, bicultural Asian HSWs are pressed to perform better than other minority peers, negatively impacting their mental health. For example, one participant shared that it is a "silent killer." Bicultural Asian HSWs confirm Asians' societal status in the U.S. by reflecting their status as employees in their HSOs. Combined with their multiple identities, it positively and negatively impacts bicultural Asian HSWs' working conditions. While they receive much support from the Asian subgroup community to which they belong, bicultural Asian HSWs can be more marginalized in their HSOs due to their Intersectionality.

Conclusions and Implications: Findings illustrate the need to include racially informed factors in supporting bicultural Asian HSWs in HSOs to promote and maintain these workers. While Asian race, racial oppression, and discrimination are critical as we experience the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19-related racism, it is essential to build a comprehensive support system in the HSOs.