Lit Review #3

Citation: 

Stremming, Eileen. The First Generation: Bridging the Generational Gap of Mental Health. New Degree Press, 2019.

Summary: 

In Eileen Stremmings book, The First Generation: Bridging the Generational Gap of Mental Health, Stremming writes about several mental health journeys that she and others have gone through. The main takeaway is that first-generation students have a hard time expressing what they are going through to their family members. These students are struggling to discuss what they are going through because of the high expectations their families set for them. Also, some of the parents that Stremming mentioned in the book even mentioned how they shouldn't be feeling what they are just because they are in America and have a good life. Additionally, Stremming mentions this concept of ‘bridging the gap’ which has been helpful in forming my theoretical frame. Stremming points out that there is a gap in the way first-generation students are expressing how they are feeling to their families. This gap is something that must be resolved in order for students to live happily. 

Author: 

The author of this book is Elieen Stremming. Stremming is knowledgeable on this topic because she is a mental health advocate who focuses specifically on immigrant communities. She also does work on improving the way different generations see mental health problems. Additionally, she has experienced mental health challenges as a first-generation student. Not only did she experience it, she also got to see the way it affected her sister. Stremming is the perfect author to take information from because she studies the topic and she also has first-hand experience. 

Key Terms: 
Stigma: For mental health, it is the negative connotation around the illness. Some people may think of a mental disorder and have a negative perception around it, which makes it a stigma. 
Mental gap: The gap where individuals feel uncomfortable and like they are unable to talk to their relatives about what they have been experiencing.

Quotes: 

“Our family has always been incredibly hardworking and we have never been unappreciative of the fact that we are in the United States today. But the idea of mental illness is not quite understood and can be disregarded easily because we have had ‘bigger things to worry about’” (Stremming 338). 

“The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) has noted, ‘While depression affects all ages and both genders, girls are more likely to develop depression during adolescence’” (Stremming 395). 

“Regarding the mental health stigma- especially in families with immigrant parents- talking about mental health problems is incredibly difficult. According to the American Psychological Association, Asian Americans often underutilize mental health services. This may be due to the rate of assimilation and adaptation to culture” (Stremming 427). 

Value:

This book is very valuable to my research. It provides me with several cases that I can put into my paper. What makes it even more valuable is that it isn't generalized statistics; it is several different real experiences that individuals have faced. Personally, I think the best way to make a case is to provide personal examples. Also, this book provides me my theoretical frame of ‘bridging the gap.’