Life Courses of Amerasians in Vietnam: A Qualitative Analysis of Emotional Well-Being

Abstract

The War in Vietnam (1962 - 1975) left a legacy of mixed-race children fathered by American or other foreign soldiers and bom to Vietnamese mothers. These Vietnamese Amerasian children often had difficulties integrating into their post-conflict societies due to stigmatization, and they were typically economically disadvantaged. To address the paucity of knowledge about life courses of Amerasians who remained in Vietnam, we used SenseMaker®, a mixed-methods data collection tool, to interview adult Amerasians living in Vietnam. Qualitative analysis of first-person narratives categorized by participants as being about “emotions” identified five major themes: discrimination, poverty, identity, the importance of family, and varying perceptions of circumstances. Experiences of discrimination were broad and sometimes systemic, affecting family life, the pursuit of education, and employment opportunities.