Vietnam Amerasians : Assimilation and Adjustment Problems in the United States

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the assimilation and adjustment problems of the 21,000 plus Vietnamese Amerasians currently living in the United States. The paper provides a brief history of the United States involvement in Vietnam followed by descriptions of the pre- and post-migratory experiences of Vietnamese Amerasians. Next, the paper reviews legislation supporting Vietnamese Amerasian immigration to the United States followed by an examination of adjustment problems in the. overlapping areas of mental health, education, employment, family reunification, and social acceptance. Finally, implications for addressing the multiple adjustment problems of this unique American minority group are discussed.