Being uber-responsible, people-pleasing and a perfectionist are traits that first-born girls in Asia purportedly have.

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in.

A book in Taiwan on the so-called “eldest daughter syndrome” is now a bestseller translated into other languages. 

It looks at how many first-born women in the East Asian society struggle with perfectionism, people-pleasing, burnout, anxiety and other mental health struggles. This often arises from the profound psychological and physical pressures that they face at home.

What is even more insidious is when these traits carry over from the private space to their workplace. 

Taiwan correspondent Yip Wai Yee, herself a first-born girl, speaks to foreign editor Li Xueying, another first-born girl, on her personal experience, as well as the question: where is all of this coming from?

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:58 What is the eldest daughter syndrome

4:43 Myth vs social expectations

6:29 Eldest daughter syndrome entrenched in Taiwan society

10:17 How it plays into workplace burnout and boundaries

13:55 Managing guilt and saying no as an eldest daughter

Read Yip Wai Yee’s article here: https://str.sg/jbsK 

Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR 

Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x  

Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz 

Host: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg)

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

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