Interviews with 144 Khmer refugee adolescents found high levels of lifetime exposure to violence, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among one third of adolescents, and symptoms of depression among two thirds. Higher exposure to violence was related to PTSD symptoms, risk behaviors, and lower grade point average. Perceived social…

Contrary to the model minority stereotype, Asian youth are increasingly becoming more involved in crime and delinquency. For instance, in the California Youth Authority, Southeast Asian adolescents are disproportionately represented, including Cambodian, Hmong, and Lao and Mien youth. However, few studies have focused on factors that are…

This paper summarizes the findings of a descriptive research project conducted among Southeast Asian parents in an Oregon school district, and discusses the issue of fieldwork methodology among refugee populations. The district studied had a student population of 18,000 (kindergarten through grade 12), with Southeast Asian refugees accounting for…

A study was conducted concerning how Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, and Hmong refugees between the ages of 15 and 18 have faced the difficulties of adjusting to life in the United States. The study looked at some of the reasons behind the difficulties these youth experience, as well as their success at school, within the family, and in society.…

In 1985-86, Project CLIMB was in its first year of funding at two high schools in the Bronx, New York. The program provided instructional and supportive services to 188 students of limited English proficiency (LEP) in grades 9-12. The students were recent immigrants from Cambodia and Vietnam, and all spoke their native language at home. The goal…

The ways in which Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians now living in Quebec City (Canada) have established over the last 10-15 years distinct ethnic communities are discussed, and their community structure is described. A limited comparison with some other Indochinese communities highlights some features of the Quebec ethnic groups. (SLD)

Objective: The objective of this study was to document the psychosocial adjustment of young refugees during their adolescence and its association with the war-related trauma experienced by their family before migration. Method: Data were collected on 57 young Khmer resettled in Montreal and followed from early to late adolescence. The associations…

The underpinnings of the conceptions Southeast Asians have about children with disabilities and special education intervention were studied as a basis for effective intervention for linguistically and culturally diverse Southeast Asian (SEA) children with disabilities. Cultural, historical, and other variables that influenced the perceptions of…

A study of the effectiveness of music and rhythm used in classroom activities as a technique for developing short-term memory for phonological learning had as subjects 25 adult Cambodian, Lao, Hmong, and Vietnamese immigrants, students in a course in English as a second language. The subjects were given a pretest of their ability to distinguish…

The intent of this paper is to provide a historical and cultural overview of the Khmer refugee movement and to outline problems the refugees face upon resettlement in New York City. The paper begins by describing the land and people of Cambodia, the social structure of Khmer society, the role of Buddhism in that society, Cambodia's recent history,…

Maintains that it is critical that caregivers and teachers learn to use Southeast Asian children's and parents' names properly. Discusses the structure and use of names among four Southeast Asian subgroups: Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians, and Hmongs. Teaching suggestions are offered. (BB)

This descriptive report summarizes data on students enrolled in the Des Moines Independent Community School District's English as a Second Language (ESL) program for Southeast Asian students. By law the district is required to provide special English instruction for students who have a limited command of English. Goals of the ESL program include:…

In an effort to address both the interests of Khmer and Vietnamese refugee students and the experiences of refugees making the adjustment to life in the United States, the Galang Refugee Processing Center developed a social language unit to add to the curriculum. The unit is designed to teach students socially appropriate ways to make and…

The papers in this conference proceedings on the educational needs of Indochinese students concern the following issues: Indochinese refugee resettlement, educational barriers in Vietnamese and Laotian culture and language, basic ESL principles and ESL techniques in teaching content areas, and models for developing programs for the education of…

Five Cambodian mothers (whose primary grade children attended a regular New Zealand school) were introduced to a Shared Reading procedure to help them learn to read, in parallel with their children. All children showed increased reading progress, as did three of the mothers. (Author/CB)