DR. SRUTHI SWAMI

Dr. Swami is an Associate Professor in the School Psychology MA/Ed.S. Program at Sac State. She received her Ph.D. in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology from UC Santa Barbara and completed her pre-doctoral internship with the Dallas Independent School District, engaging in individual and group counseling in schools and family therapy in the attached district behavioral health clinics. Her research focuses on the experiences of racially and ethnically minoritized youth in schools, especially related to racism and discrimination. She also has a more specific focus on providing culturally responsive special education and mental health services to Asian American youths and their families.

WHAT'S THE TOPIC OF YOUR PRESENTATION?

I will be talking about culturally responsive ways to support South Asian students and their families in schools, especially through special education assessment processes and considerations when providing counseling. Specifically, I will talk briefly about the diversity of South Asians, some common cultural, linguistic, and religious factors to be aware of that can impact testing and interventions, and also ways to work with families.

WHY IS THIS TOPIC IMPORTANT?

When we overlook the cultural, linguistic, and religious factors that shape the experiences of South Asian students and families, we risk incorrectly interpreting data related to their social-emotional, behavioral, and academic functioning. Mental health and special education services continue to carry stigma within many South Asian communities; as such, developing knowledge about South Asian students and families can help educators partner with families to make more culturally informed decisions about assessment, intervention, and support.

HOW DOES THIS WORK FIT WITHIN YOUR BROADER RESEARCH PROGRAM AND/OR WORK AS FACULTY MEMBER?

This fits within my broad research agenda of providing culturally and linguistically responsive services and supports to Asian American communities; it also supports my research agenda by further digging into the experiences of racially and ethnically minoritized individuals in school systems and working towards frameworks to support the equitable treatment of these groups in schools.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE AUDIENCE WILL TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR PRESENTATION?

I hope the audience will learn more about the diversity of South Asians, including cultural, linguistic, and religious practices that may not be considered when working with and making determinations about South Asian youths and their families. I hope that this presentation is a stepping point for attendees to think more about incorrectly homogenizing all Asian individuals

LINK TO A RECENT ARTICLE, PROJECT, OR OTHER SCHOLARLY-RELATED WORK:

D'Costa, S., Swami, S., Manchanda, S., Bagasrawala, L., Venkat, S., & Sriprasana, A. (2026). Using cultural understanding to dispel stress and stigma for South Asian youth in schools. Translational Issues in Psychological Science, 12(2), 242–254. https://doi.org/10.1037/tps0000504