Perceptions and experiences in higher education: a national study of multiracial Asian American and Latino/a students in psychology.

Demographic trends suggest increasing numbers of multiple racial heritage students attending US campuses and universities, a change reflected within psychology. However, there is little empirical investigation into the educational experiences and needs of multiracials. The current study (the second in a series of studies to utilize data from a national survey of psychology graduate and undergraduate students) compared two multiracial groups, Asian American/European American and Latino/a/European Americans, to their single heritage counterparts on several variables of interest – academic supports and barriers; linkage between barriers faced and ethnicity; and perceived cultural diversity. Results indicated that multiracial groups reported more of a link between academic barriers experienced and their ethnicity than European American students, but less of a link than their monoracial minority peers. No differences between groups were found related to academic supports, academic barriers, and perceived cultural diversity. Study limitations, future research and implications are discussed.