Academic Community Support, Campus Racial Climate, and Subjective Well-Being during the Coronavirus Outbreak among Asian American College Students

Abstract

Due to the SARSCoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, individuals of Asian descent have been the recipients of racist behavior. Therefore, we investigated the possibility that the response of one's academic community would predict the subjective well-being of Asian students. We surveyed 165 Asian students at a predominantly White, U.S. university, and results indicated that leader support was associated with increased positive affect and decreased negative affect through improved racial climate perceptions. The critical role of the academic community for enhancing the well-being of Asian students during the COVID-19 crisis and practical considerations for supporting students navigating a hostile national climate are discussed.