Psychological research with Muslim Americans in the age of Islamophobia: Trends, challenges, and recommendations.

Abstract

Like other minority groups in North America, Muslim Americans have been largely ignored in the psychological literature. The overwhelming pressures faced by this group, including surveillance, hate crimes, and institutional discrimination, stimulate an urgent need for psychologists to better understand and ensure the well-being of this population. This article reviews challenges in conducting research with Muslim Americans in order to offer recommendations for culturally sensitive approaches that can enhance the growth of future scholarship. We first contextualize this endeavor by assessing trends in psychological scholarship pertinent to Muslims in North America over the past two decades. A total of 559 relevant publications were identified through a PsycINFO database search. The 10 years post 9/11 saw a more than 900% increase in the annual number of publications, paralleling a national interest in the Muslim American community subsequent to the World Trade Center attacks. Researchers who conducted these studies faced numerous barriers, including unclear definition of the target sample, unavailability of culturally sensitive measures, sampling difficulties, and obstacles to participant recruitment. To navigate these challenges, we provide a framework for effective research design along the continuum of the research process from study conceptualization to dissemination of results. The challenges and recommendations are illustrated with examples from previous studies.

Muslim Americans’ Responses to Social Identity Threats: Effects of Media Representations and Experiences of Discrimination

“…Given that Muslim Americans report high levels of ingroup identification (Amer & Bagasra, 2013), discrimination (e.g., , 2 and are dissatisfied by negative media representations of their religious group (e.g., Ibrahim & Abdelhalim, 2012), we had the following predictions regarding their reactions to social identity threats.…”

Acculturation of the Muslims Settled in the West

“…Further, there is a dearth of knowledge about the acculturation of these individuals. The tragic 9/11 terrorist attacks were a trigger to galvanize more research on this understudied population, however, the emphasis has been more on factors associated with terrorism, radicalization, Islamophobia, or discrimination experienced by this minority (Amer & Bagasra, 2013). Though a bulk of this research was conducted in United States and Europe, some interesting research has emerged from Australia and New Zealand over the last decade.…”

“…Many Muslims, who have been living in the West for years (or generations) feel persecuted (Bux, 2007). This deadlock is detrimental to the acculturation process and harmony of the larger societies in the West (Amer & Bagasra, 2013). An examination of the literature indicates that Muslim youth in the United States have reported encountering discrimination and appear to be the most vulnerable (Sirin & Fine, 2007).…”

Hijab, Religiosity, and Psychological Wellbeing of Muslim Women in the United States

“…Heterogeneity is often overlooked in research with Muslims in America (Amer & Bagasra, 2013). Since the intersection between cultural and religious practices may lead to significant variability, variables such as race/ethnicity, immigrant status, Islamic sect (Shi'a, Sunni, etc.…”

“…Despite the 983% increase of publications in PsycINFO relevant to Muslim Americans between 2000 and 2010 (Amer & Bagasra, 2013), there is still a lack of research specifically on the relationship between hijab and the mental health of Muslim women in the United States. Additionally, in this growing literature, less than one quarter of the studies (24.3%) employed quantitative research methods, such as standardized questionnaires, experiments, and analysis of quantitative data.…”