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Bicultural Identity as a Protective Factor Among Southeast Asian American Youth Who Have Witnessed Domestic Violence

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Transition and Change in Collectivist Family Life

Part of the book series: AFTA SpringerBriefs in Family Therapy ((BRIEFSFAT))

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Abstract

Southeast Asian American (SEAA) children and adolescents who witness domestic violence (DV) at home may be at risk of developing psychological and behavioral problems. Despite these risks, many SEAA youths exhibit resilience and positive adaptation and do not develop severe psychopathology. Bicultural identity among SEAA youth has been linked to positive psychological outcomes. This chapter examines the levels of acculturation and resilience among SEAA children who have witnessed DV (n = 59). Within the group of SEAA youth who have witnessed DV, resilience was found to be higher among those who identified as having a bicultural identity compared to those who identified as having highly Asian or highly Westernized identities. In conclusion, I offer clinicians various strategies for responding to SEAA clients in a culturally relevant context.

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Correspondence to Skultip (Jill) Sirikantraporn .

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(Jill) Sirikantraporn, S. (2017). Bicultural Identity as a Protective Factor Among Southeast Asian American Youth Who Have Witnessed Domestic Violence. In: Quek, KT., Fang, SR. (eds) Transition and Change in Collectivist Family Life. AFTA SpringerBriefs in Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50679-1_9

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