Pressure to excel

We all know the stereotypes: Asian students are smart, hard-working and strong in math and science.

People generally regard those stereotypes as harmless because they’re positive, portraying Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders as the “model minority.” But they can put unhealthy pressure on kids who believe they’re not meeting expectations, leading to relatively high suicide rates among young Asian-American women.

But it takes a toll. Asian-Americans have the highest rate of suicide among women 18 to 24 years old, Chou said. In addition, Asian-American youth have relatively high rates of depression and anxiety.

Read the great article on stereotypes of Asian Americans www.venturacountystar.com