Negative Social Exchanges, Acculturation-Related Factors, and Mental Health among Asian Americans

For people influenced by collectivistic cultures, the encounter of negative social exchanges may be particularly detrimental as harmonious and balanced interpersonal relationships are highly valued. Focusing on Asian Americans, this study examines the relative importance of three domains of negative versus positive social exchanges on psychological distress, and how acculturation-related factors (i.e., English proficiency and nativity) moderate the association between negative social exchanges and psychological distress. Results suggest that three domains of negative social exchanges (family cultural conflict, negative interactions with relatives, and negative interactions with friends) are related to distress but at varying degrees, with the effects of family cultural conflict being the most salient. Second, for some negative social exchanges, their effects on distress are greater than the effects of parallel positive social exchanges. Most importantly, the relationship between negative social exchanges and distress conditions on acculturation factors: The U.S.-born (compared to the foreign-born) respondents are more responsive to negative interactions with friends; individuals with poor/fair English (compared to individuals with good/excellent English) are more vulnerable towards family cultural conflict. Findings imply the importance of various dimensions of negative social exchanges, acculturation, and their interactions in understanding the mental health of Asian Americans.