Communities join together to promote behavioral health: Conference on Arab American, American Muslim youth

Abstract Background: Little is known about how Muslim youth in non-Muslim countries perceive depression and its treatment and prevention. Objective: We investigated the barriers and suggest treatment models for depressive disorders in Muslim adolescents and young adults residing in the United States. Methods: We conducted a thorough literature review to identify previous study on the beliefs of American Muslim adolescents about depression and its treatment. We identified the gaps and developed a survey to ascertain this information from American Muslim adolescents. Results: The survey was administered to a convenience sample of 125 Muslim subjects (60.0% males) aged 14–21 years. The sample was ethnically diverse with Pakistani (44.8%) encompassing the majority of the sample. Most responders believed that recitation from the Koran relieves mental distress. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that those who reported strong emotional support from parents or a greater acceptance of taking depression medication prescribed from a physician were more likely to accept a physician’s diagnosis, whereas believing in prayer to heal depression was associated with a lower likelihood of the same. Youth were accepting of Internet and preventive approaches. Conclusion: Planning of culturally sensitive mental health services is useful to accommodate the needs of Muslim youth served by primary care physicians and mental health practitioners in the United States. Muslim adolescents tend to be more traditional with family, social, and religious values. This value system plays an important role in their likelihood of seeking and accepting professional help for depression.

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The Traumatogenic Dynamics of Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Among Arab American, Muslim, and Refugee Clients

Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association ◽

10.1177/1078390314542873 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 250-266 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Ibrahim A. Kira ◽

Linda Lewandowski ◽

Jeffrey S. Ashby ◽

Thomas Templin ◽

Vidya Ramaswamy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Arab American ◽

Internalized Stigma ◽

American Muslim ◽

Stigma Of Mental Illness

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Arab American Adolescents’ Responses to Perceived Discrimination: A Phenomenological Study

Journal of Muslim Mental Health ◽

10.3998/jmmh.131 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Danielle Balaghi ◽

Evelyn Oka ◽

Dorinda Carter Andrews

Keyword(s):

Racial Discrimination ◽

Phenomenological Study ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Arab American ◽

Risk And Resilience ◽

Resilience Theory ◽

American Muslim ◽

Member Checks ◽

Insight Into

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