Mind the Gap: How Generational Differences Affect the Mental Health of Asian American Families

AAPA Member Matthew Miller, PhD, Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park, wrote this brief report last year for the APA Public Interest Directorate

What do the words “generation gap” mean to you?

For many people, “generation gap” conjures up memories of conflict with their parents over differences in music tastes, career choice, political affiliation, lifestyle choices, etc.

However, for many Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) families, typical generation gap conflicts are exacerbated by the acculturation gap – the phenomenon where children of immigrant parents adapt to a new culture faster and in a different way than their parents (Lee et al., 2000).

Read more here.