"It was frightening because it could be my own grandparents": A qualitative study of vicarious exposure to anti-Asian racism.

Objective: From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a proliferation of anti-Asian racism. In addition to being personal targets of racism, members of the Asian American community have also been vicariously exposed to repeated news and social media stories about anti-Asian racism. Emerging research suggests that vicarious exposure to racism during the pandemic is associated with decreased well-being, although mechanisms of action are not yet clear. The present study investigates participants' narratives about the effects of observing or hearing about anti-Asian discrimination.

Method: A total of 215 Asian-identified individuals living in the United States participated in the study between September 2020 and January 2021. Conventional qualitative content analysis was used to explore themes related to the self-described experience of witnessing or learning about instances of racism and the resulting psychological consequences.

Results: We describe the ranging from avoidance to murder, and ranging from family members to strangers. Emergent themes include (a) cognitive, behavioral, and emotional symptoms of race-based stress resulting from vicarious racism, (b) decreased sense of national identity and feeling "othered," (c) normalization and invisibility of anti-Asian racism, (d) model minority myth as perpetuating racism, (e) decreased intergroup harmony, (f) increased intragroup connections, and (g) shattered or displaced worldview.

Conclusion: Results underscore the complexity of experiences among Asian-identified individuals who were vicariously exposed to racism during the pandemic. We offer clinical implications for providers to gain a better understanding of the mental health needs of Asian American clients. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).