Psychological Wellbeing: Understanding Risk and Protective Factors
2015
Understanding psychological wellbeing among the general American population is a growing area
of research, yet there is still a dearth of knowledge about certain minority and ethnic groups such as
Arab Americans. This chapter discusses the literature on psychological wellbeing and mental health
issues among Arab Americans. It begins with a review of different definitions of relevant concepts,
including mental health, mental illness, and wellbeing. It next provides a brief presentation of the
prevalence of major mental health conditions among Arab Americans. Risk and protective factors
are then explored. The section that focuses on the risk factors that Arab Americans face mainly
emphasizes the impact of immigration and acculturation stressors, discrimination after 9/11, and
other sociocultural related stressors, such as stigma and barriers to utilization of services. Sources for
resilience in coping with mental health issues include religion and spirituality, ethnic identity, family
support, and community resources. A critique of the literature is presented alongside future directions
for mental health research with this population.
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