Experiences of Asian American College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this study is to examine experiences among Asian American college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Six focus groups were held online via Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, Inc., San Jose, USA) with a total of 21 participants in October and November 2020. The focus group guide was built upon the socio-ecological model. Some participants expressed distress when having to leave their houses for pandemic safety and discrimination reasons. The impact of discriminatory events was addressed by participants' families. Participants emphasized the importance of communities and local organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants indicated that showing support for the Asian American community through social media and public awareness campaigns could be useful in stopping the stigma associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the experiences of Asian American college students during the COVID-19 pandemic provides insight on how to better support Asian American communities during the pandemic.