Future directions in neuropsychology: Training, education, clinical practice, and advocacy for Asians and Asian Americans

Abstract

Objective: Given the need for increased equity, justice, and inclusion in neuropsychology, this paper aimed to present an initial perspective on key areas of understanding necessary to provide ethically and culturally responsive services and training to Asians and Asian Americans. Method: We first reviewed the terms Asian and Asian American and established the large multitude of individuals these terms encompass. Second, a brief review of the foundations for Asian American psychology is provided to set the stage for the unique considerations when evaluating individuals of Asian descent. Lastly, the necessity of using the social justice lens in education and training pipelines needed to propel the field forward is emphasized. Conclusions: Overall, this paper reviewed key information to provide a foundational level of understanding regarding the nuances of working with persons of Asian descent in the field of neuropsychology.

Keywords:

• Asian American psychology
• neuropsychology
• training
• social justice
• advocacy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 As noted in our recent publication by Rehman et al. (2022), A Caveat in Terminology in Categorizing Asian Americans, “Although Filipino sailors were the first Asians to come to North America in the late 1500s, the first major wave of Asian immigrants came in the 1850s during the California Gold Rush (Mahajan, 2015). Various terms have been used to describe the more than 20 million Asians who currently live in the US and trace their roots to at least 19 countries in East and Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, including China, India, Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Japan (Budiman & Ruiz, 2021). The terminology to describe this group has included Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and Desi Americans (APIDA) (Bluth, 2021), and most recently Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) to denote the inclusion of native Hawaiians (The White House Briefing Room, 2021). The Asian Neuropsychological Association (ANA) maintains an inclusive stance for those with origins from the above communities from Eastern and Southern parts of Asia, as well as those from Western and Central Asian countries (e.g., Armenia, Iran, Oman, Syria and Turkmenistan).“

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Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.