The Role of Model Minority Stereotype on General Self-Efficacy and Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

The model minority stereotype (MMS) is a belief that Asian Americans’ comparative success comes from their hard-work and perseverance, coupled with a lack of barriers such as racism or discrimination against Asian Americans. In this study, we hypothesized that because the MMS demands cognitive energy, the use of self-efficacy as a regulator for depressive symptoms is then limited. Participants included 199 self-identified Asian American college students. A moderation effect of the MMS on the relationship between general self-efficacy and depressive symptoms was tested. Participants with low to above average Unrestricted Mobility (UM), a component of the MMS, displayed a regulating effect of self-efficacy on depressive symptoms, which was not found for individuals with higher UM. Although the variance of moderation effect was small (2%), this study is the first to suggest the effect of self-efficacy in lowering depressive symptoms may depend on the level of UM. Other findings and implications are further discussed.