Kim S. Hwang, PsyD, AAP COLUMNIST

Health Care Dialogue
STAFF COLUMNIST
Kim S. Hwang, PsyD

Dear Dr. Hwang, “What do you think about media that supports that Asian Mothers are,” Tiger Mom’s?” Do you think this image is true?”

 Dear Tiger Mom Inquiry:

The United States media supports, sensationalizes and promotes extreme kinds of distorted stereotypes, which absolutely work to the disadvantage of Asian women and Asian parents in a variety of contexts. Too often, false images portray the view of the, “Tiger Mom,” as extreme, which promotes a pathological and almost sick view of Asian women as Asian mothers. The truth is, that most parents genuinely care about their children’s success and use a variety of parenting techniques. It is inevitable that most parents want their children to experience a sense of accomplishment so they are able to go out into the world, prepared to do well.

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Ms. Be Vang

Kim Hwang, PsyD
AAP staff columnist

ST. PAUL (Dec. 29, 2011) — I recently had the wonderful opportunity of sitting down and interviewing Ms. Be Vang, Principal and Assistant Superintendent Intern in the St. Paul Public School District.

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Kim S. Hwang, PsyD, AAP COLUMNIST

Kim S. Hwang, PsyD 
AAP COLUMNIST

“I am tired of being seen as a model minority in my high school. If I get good grades it is because I’m Chinese. If I don’t get good grades, then there is something wrong with me. My White friends never have to care about this.”

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Kim S. Hwang, PsyD AAP COLUMNIST

By KIM HWANG
AAP staff columnist

ST. PAUL (Dec. 29, 2011) — What happens when people perceive and attribute success, unilaterally based on being Asian?

The stereotype of the, “Model Minority,” suggests that Asians are hard workers, conscientious, highly intellectual, obsessed with perfection, plagued with the trait of internal drive, academically superior, on automatic pilot and competitive at all costs. These perceived attributes of Asians too often, knowingly or unknowingly turn into attributional errors and come at a high emotional and psychological price tag.

Attributional errors occur when the traits of one person from a specific ethnic or racial group are generalized to the whole group. Attributional errors leave little room for others who are in the group to deviate without being over pathologized.

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Kim S. Hwang, PsyD AAP COLUMNIST

Dear Dr. Hwang, “I am sick of professors who don’t see Asian students in the classroom. I feel invisible and self-conscious. It makes me want to drop out of school. But, my parents would have a fit if I quit college.”

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