"It was frightening because it could be my own grandparents": A qualitative study of vicarious exposure to anti-Asian racism.

Abstract

Objective: From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a proliferation of anti-Asian racism. In addition to being personal targets of racism, members of the Asian American community have also been vicariously exposed to repeated news and social media stories about anti-Asian racism. Emerging research suggests that vicarious exposure to racism during the pandemic is associated with decreased well-being, although mechanisms of action are not yet clear. The present study investigates participants' narratives about the effects of observing or hearing about anti-Asian discrimination.

Method: A total of 215 Asian-identified individuals living in the United States participated in the study between September 2020 and January 2021. Conventional qualitative content analysis was used to explore themes related to the self-described experience of witnessing or learning about instances of racism and the resulting psychological consequences.

Results: We describe the types of racism observed, ranging from avoidance to murder, and targets of racial discrimination, ranging from family members to strangers. Emergent themes include (a) cognitive, behavioral, and emotional symptoms of race-based stress resulting from vicarious racism, (b) decreased sense of national identity and feeling "othered," (c) normalization and invisibility of anti-Asian racism, (d) model minority myth as perpetuating racism, (e) decreased intergroup harmony, (f) increased intragroup connections, and (g) shattered or displaced worldview.

Conclusion: Results underscore the complexity of experiences among Asian-identified individuals who were vicariously exposed to racism during the pandemic. We offer clinical implications for providers to gain a better understanding of the mental health needs of Asian American clients. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).