This study focused on the perceptions of discrimination for Chinese American adolescents: how perceptions changed over time,
how generational status and acculturation were related to these changes, and whether earlier discrimination experiences were
related to subsequent depressive symptomatology. The sample included 309 Chinese American adolescents who participated in
a 2 year, three-wave longitudinal study. Findings suggest that perceptions of discrimination became more acute over time for
the majority of Chinese American adolescents in our study, that greater initial levels of perceptions of discrimination predicted
a slower orientation to U.S. culture, that discrimination was not related to orientation to Chinese culture, and that an increase
in perceptions of discrimination was associated with an increase in depressive symptoms. Greater orientation to Chinese culture
was also related to fewer depressive symptoms. The findings are discussed in light of the unique cultural context of the study.
Keywords Acculturation - Discrimination - Depressive symptoms - Chinese American adolescents