Digital Natives and Community Resilience: An Exploration of AAPI Families’ Digital Technology Use

Abstract

The current study adopted community resilience and explored Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) digital natives’ supporting family members’ digital technology use and outcomes related to engagement. A sample of 29 AAPI late adolescents answered open-ended questions about the challenges, benefits, and familial dynamics when the group helped or instructed older family members in using digital technologies. Findings showcased complex intergroup dynamics between digital natives and their family members, including increased mutual respect, greater communication access, and worry of family members’ physical ailments interrupting digital technology use. Outcomes demonstrated how AAPI digital natives, amid family systems, embraced collectivist tendencies as a means of resilience amid the ongoing challenges related to digital technology use.

Keywords

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders community resilience digital natives digital technology family

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