Asian and Asian American early educators’ racial discrimination experiences and student well-being during COVID-19: A moderated mediation model

During the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian racism intensified in the United States (US), impairing the mental health of Asians and Asian Americans. However, no research has investigated how Asian and Asian American early educators’ experiences of racism affect them and their students in early childhood education (ECE). Thus, this study examined how Asian and Asian American early educators’ racial discrimination experiences were associated with their students’ socioemotional and behavioral well-being both directly and indirectly through the educators’ mental health. We also investigated the moderating effect of neighborhood Asian concentration on these associations. Participants of this study were 1,196 Asian and Asian American early educators (85.18 % female) across the US. Data were obtained via educator self-report questionnaires and geocoding of their ECE program zip codes. The results of structural equation modeling showed that both Asian and Asian American early educators’ direct experience and witnessing of racism were positively associated with their own perceived helplessness and depression, as well as their students’ socioemotional and behavioral well-being issues. The educators’ direct experience of racism was also positively related to their perceived lack of self-efficacy. The educators’ perceived helplessness mediated the association between their direct experience and witnessing of racism and student well-being issues. Moreover, the educators’ perceived helplessness mediated the relationship between their direct experience of racism and their students’ well-being issues only in ECE programs located in neighborhoods with high Asian concentration. This study has significant implications for fostering a culturally inclusive milieu for students and Asian and Asian American early educators in ECE.