The representation of Asian women in counseling psychology research: A systematic content analysis from 2000 to 2020.

Asian women in the United States (AWUS) are part of the most rapidly growing racial group in the United States today (Budiman & Ruiz, 2021). AWUS have a long history of facing unique challenges at the intersection of their race and gender (Mukkamala & Suyemoto, 2018). However, there is a gap in counseling psychology literature focused on AWUS (Kiang et al., 2016), leaving critical questions unanswered about their needs and experiences in the United States. This study examines the scope of this gap through a systematic content analysis of 3,913 articles published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology and The Counseling Psychologist between 2000 and 2020. The specific research questions were as follows: (1) How many articles in Journal of Counseling Psychology and The Counseling Psychologist include the demographically representative 3% of AWUS, based on 2020 census data, in their study sample? (2) Among these articles, what key qualitative themes emerge? (3) How many articles focused solely on AWUS experiences? We found that 137 (3.5%) articles included a demographically representative number of AWUS as part of their samples, while only 10 (0.26%) articles focused solely on AWUS. Results revealed five major themes: (a) factors and processes shaping the mental health of AWUS, (b) centrality of, and external influences on, the cultural identities of AWUS, (c) enhancing the efficacy of counseling for AWUS, (d) AWUS within scales assessing experiences of Asians in the United States, and (e) the professional identity and career aspirations of AWUS. Implications for research, practice, and training are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).