It would be interesting to know if this finding holds true for Asians who have been in the West for an extended period of time. Also, was age one of the variables considered?

How much more time can you spend in the West as an Asian than as an Asian immigrant to the states? You must mean if the study included Asians in their native countries.

Kao, possibly Jacqueline is referring to an immigrant who has been in the US for 50 years vs 5 or less. Also, are offspring considered “Asian American” or do they mean a blend of heritage?

I noticed this tendency to balance thoughts and emotions whwn I was in Japan 40 years ago. The Buddists told me all things are transient and we cannot prove anything was permanent. We had very interesting philosophical discussions without resolution. They said this proved their point. Interestingly, it was very relaxing and reduced tension. I imagine it is a case of what works for you is important.

I would like to know the thinking behind the question and comment posed by Kao Atsui.
My experience, as a social worker in the US and Canada, has involvled me with University students and their families in ESL and Communicative Competence;;with SE Asian refugees and others in settlement in Canada; and with families from multiple ethnic communities and cultural groups undergoing separation and divorce and working to determine the best resolution for their children. I have trained, and trained others, in the area of cross-cultural sensitivity and understanding and I have worked extensively to accommodate family systems and the laws of the resident community. I welcome research which helps those in the theraputic professions to become more acutely aware of cultural considerations.

I should note, as well, that I have lived abroad in Japan and Central Asia and have travelled extensively throughout the world with the objective of understanding diverse cultures and family and community systems. I consider it an error, in any theraputic setting, to disregard the community from which any individual or family system arises.

I am not an academic and do no research and, therefore, welcome any constructive comments which do not imply otherwise. and do not impugn my admittedly anecdotal experience. I have welcomed this article as one more piece with which the theraputic community might, carefully, move forward. It focused on university students. What about those who came from SE Asia under duress; those who emigrated and now their children face the pulls of two or more cultures; what of those same people whose expectations have failed; what of those who came as refugees and are still awaiting determination of their fate? Do they hope or are they afraid to hope in case it dooms them?

I know some Koreans who have trouble adjusting. They end up in rehabs and having all the difficulty with the structure of Western life..you name it. Their “need” for fun is so big that they almost impossible to “reach” it in their mind and have some illusionary thoughts. If they get structured by others they fall into depression and have big melt downs. No-land-men.

It appears that the author has no in depth knowledge of Buddhism judging by the comment “….. it may be shaped by Buddhist beliefs that happiness either leads to suffering or is impossible to obtain”. For the record, the ultimate aim of all Buddhists is to achieve everlasting peace and happiness and the author perhaps should have checked the facts out before making such generalisations.

For European-American participants, there was a strong correlation showing that the more positive emotions they expressed, the less depression or stress they reported.