Amerasian Refugees: Social Characteristics, Service Needs, and Mental Health

Since 1983, more than 34,000 Amerasians and their 48,000 accompanying family members from Vietnam have been resettled in the United States of America. Having American fathers whose race and ethnicity are very dif-ferentfrom traditional Vietnamese, these children were considered outcasts by members of their own culture and,for the most part, led marginal lives in Vietnam. This article presents findings of a study conducted on a sample of 80 Amerasian refugees who have resettled in a large Southern city within the last two years. The study's intent was to identify the current social characteristics, service needs, and mental health status of the Amerasians. Implications for social work practice with Amerasians are also discussed. Since the end of the Vietnam war in 1975, nearly one mil-lion Southeast Asian refugees have been resettled in the United States. Since 1983, this immigration has included more than 34,000 Amerasians, offspring of United States military personnel and Vietnamese women, and 48,000 of their accompanying famil