Racism in the form of microaggressions against Asian Americans, denial of racism internalized via the model minority myth (MMM), and colorism have been found to negatively affect their mental health. Yet, for a growing population of multiracial Asian Americans with diverse and intersecting identities, scant research examines their perceptions of these forms of racism. In the present study, 201
... [Show full abstract] multiracial Asian American adults (self-identified with more than one racial background, one of which was of Asian descent) completed online surveys in 2020, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic surge in anti-Asian racism. Initial hypotheses, examined with bivariate regression analyses, were that higher perceptions of racial microaggressions and darker skin tone would relate to lower internalized MMM beliefs, in its two components of achievement orientation (MMM-AO) and unrestricted mobility (MMM-UM). Based on initial findings, a post hoc hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the degree to which multiracial Asian Americans’ perceptions of racial microaggressions, beyond endorsement of MMM beliefs, were predicted by two sociodemographic variables, gender identity and racial/ethnic group identity as Asian/White or Asian/dual minority (including one or more other racial/ethnic minority groups). Results did not support hypothesized influences of skin tone, gender identity, or internalized MMM-AO beliefs. However, higher microaggression perceptions were related to lower internalized MMM-UM beliefs (less denial of racism). Also, Asian/dual-minority group identity, compared to Asian/White, was related to higher microaggression perceptions. Possible explanations, limitations, and implications of these results for future research and practice are discussed.