Summary
This research paper explores the impact of acculturation on Asian American youth and young adult (AAYYA) substance use behaviors, both in aggregate and in regard to specific subgroups. Asian Americans are significantly underrepresented in research on substance use, due to inaccurate perceptions of them as a group that does not use substances and is largely unaffected by the risks and harms associated with it (Ryabov, 2015). Previous research points to acculturation as a strong predictive factor for substance use risks. This paper analyzes 9 articles published between 2008 and 2022 with results pertaining to acculturation and synthesizes a recommendation for if and how these factors should be incorporated into substance use education to be more effective and culturally appropriate, taking an ethnographic approach. The overall aim of this research is to create an actionable recommendation for educators that will reduce the risks and harms associated with substance use for AAYYA.