Description/Abstract
We use a large survey of students in U.S. colleges to study the distinct ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying anti-Asian rhetoric shaped the experiences of Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs). Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find that the pandemic led to Asian students experiencing more discrimination, feeling less safe during the day, and using fewer mental health services compared to White peers. The increase in discrimination and the perceived lower safety are concentrated among East and Southeast Asians, while South Asians were not affected. Despite these effects, we detect no relative deterioration in severe psychological distress or loneliness among Asian students.
Document Type
Working Paper
Date
12-4-2025
Keywords
Asian Americans, discrimination, mental health, and pandemic
Language
English
Series
Working Papers Series
Disciplines
COVID-19 | Mental and Social Health | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Public Policy | Race and Ethnicity
ISSN
1525-3066
Recommended Citation
Choi, Kyuhan; Shi, Ying; and Zhu, Maria, "Asian College Students' Well-Being During a Period of Rising Anti-Asian Sentiment" (2025). Center for Policy Research. 516.
https://surface.syr.edu/cpr/516
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Included in
COVID-19 Commons, Mental and Social Health Commons, Public Policy Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons
Additional Information
CPR Working Paper No. 279