ABSTRACT
The study of traumatic expriences among Asians and Asian Americans is characterized by a comparatively small body of literature. The subset of studies devoted specifically to the examination of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is very limited. Even the discussion of the application of the construct of PTSD has only recently been broached for such topics as Asian refugees (e.g., Friedman and Jaranson, 1994; Kinzie and Boehlein, 1989; Marsella, Friedman, and Spain, 1993; Mollica, 1994) and Asian war veterans (e.g., Kiang, 1991; Marsella, Chemtob, and Hamada, 1992). Nevertheless, this nascent research literature strongly demonstrates the vast suffering endured by members of various Asian ethnic minority groups. The aim of this chapter is to draw a clear link between ethnic-specific traumatization, psychopathology, and the fledgling literature concerned with PTSD, especially that concerning Southeast Asian refugees settled in North America and Asian American Vietnam veterans.
