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Genc E, Baptist J. Discrimination Against Muslims in the USA and Couple Interactions: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. J Relig Health 2023:10.1007/s10943-023-01923-3. [PMID: 37787948 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-023-01923-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Muslims in the USA experience unfair treatment and direct exposure to discriminatory acts because of their religion. Trauma stemming from discrimination can strengthen couples' relationships as they find solace in each other, or strain relationships if couples struggle to cope with the stress. This study examined the relationship between experiencing anti-Muslim hate and couples' interactional quality. Further, the role of open communication between partners in moderating the impact of anti-Muslim hate on couple interactions was examined. The study included a sample of 129 Muslim couples. The results indicated gender disparity whereby anti-Muslim hate was linked to negative interactions in relationships for Muslim women, but this was not true for their male partners. In addition, open communication had contracting gender effects on the relationship between anti-Muslim hate and couple interactions. Increased self-disclosure buffered the adverse effects of anti-Muslim hate by reducing the likelihood of negative interactions. Among women, increased self-disclosure exacerbated the detrimental effects of anti-Muslim hate on the couples' relationship such that couples engaged in more negative interactions. Clinical implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emel Genc
- Department of Psychology, Bartin University Kutlubey Kampüsü, 741000, Yazicilar Köyü, Bartin, Turkey.
| | - Joyce Baptist
- Applied Human Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, US
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2
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Mudryk EP, Johnson LR. The impact of religiousness and beliefs about mental illness on help-seeking behaviors of Muslim Americans. J Clin Psychol 2023; 79:1208-1222. [PMID: 36465019 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In addition to the typical challenges of daily life, Muslim Americans have experienced high levels of stress and clinical disorders relating to discrimination from the 9/11 attacks and ongoing political stigma. Despite mounting mental health concerns, Muslim Americans have encountered multifaceted barriers to accessing mental health services and remain underserved. AIMS This study sought to explore the relationship between religiousness and beliefs about mental illness among Muslim Americans to predict their clinical help-seeking attitudes. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study gathered a nationwide sample of Muslim Americans through online data collection to assess how the relationship between religiousness and help-seeking was mediated by acculturation and biomedical beliefs about mental illness. RESULTS Analyses found that Islamic religiousness and biomedical beliefs predicted more openness to mental health treatment. Additional analyses found that integration with mainstream culture was correlated with higher confidence in services. DISCUSSION The findings of this study provide clinicians a nuanced understanding of how biological beliefs about mental illness may align with Islamic spiritual values and foster culturally responsive communication and healthcare. Barriers to treatment may be addressed for males and other underserved demographics through integrated treatment that recognizes their understandings of health, illness, and treatment. CONCLUSION Overall, results of the study provide support for recognizing religion along with demographic background as a cultural consideration to enhance treatment efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elijah P Mudryk
- Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, USA
| | - Laura R Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, USA
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Glickman KL, Smith SW, Woods EC. Psychological distress, attitudes toward seeking help, and utilization of college counseling at a predominantly minority college. J Am Coll Health 2023; 71:765-774. [PMID: 33891513 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2021.1908301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examined psychological distress among students at a predominantly-minority college, attitudes toward seeking help, and utilization of college counseling services. Demographic variables and associations between 8 problem areas (depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, academic stress, eating concerns, family distress, hostility, substance use) were explored. PARTICIPANTS Participants were 347 students at a large public university. METHODS In 2016-2017, students completed a Web-based questionnaire providing information about their mental health, attitudes toward seeking help, and utilization of counseling services. RESULTS Psychological distress was significantly higher for LGBQT, Muslim and female students and lower for Christian affiliated and religious students. LGBQT students were less likely to seek psychological help than other students. Utilization of college counseling did not differ by race or gender. CONCLUSIONS Administrators at PMCs must increase their efforts to disseminate information about mental health services and reduce barriers to seeking help, particularly for LGBQT, female and Muslim students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim L Glickman
- Assistant Professor of Social Work, York College/CUNY, Jamaica, NY, USA
| | - Scott W Smith
- Student Psychological Counselor/Licensed Psychologist, Counseling Center, Room AC-1G03E, York College/CUNY, Jamaica, NY, USA
| | - Ericka C Woods
- NYS Licensed Psychologist, Student Psychological Counselor, Counseling Center, Room AC-1G03E, York College/CUNY, Jamaica, NY, USA
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Ali SS, Mahoui I, Hassoun R, Mojaddidi H, Awaad R. The Bay Area Muslim mental health community advisory board: evaluation of a community based participatory approach. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2023; 32:e7. [PMID: 36718769 DOI: 10.1017/S2045796022000786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS The aim of this paper is to present a novel case for the formation, operation and evaluation of a community advisory aboard comprised of Muslims residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, California that utilised a community based participatory approach to address local Muslim mental health needs. The CAB was recruited in partnership with the Muslim Community Association (MCA), one of the largest Islamic centres in the San Franscisco Bay Area. In addition to describing the development of the CAB, the authors present the findings of the evaluation and synthesis of best processes based on CAB members' feedback. METHODS To evaluate the perceived community advisory board members' perceptions of their roles and elicit feedback on how to enhance the relationship between the university team and the CAB, an evaluation was conducted by an independent team who was not part of the research process. Data was collected using anonymous individual surveys and small group open discussions that were conducted over three evaluation meetings. The evaluation utilised mixed method data collection strategies using questions from Schulz et al. (, Evaluation and Program Planning 26, 249-262), an instrument for evaluating dimensions of group dynamics within CBPR partnerships. RESULTS Results of the evaluation within the sphere of CAB operation indicated that CAB members found the greatest satisfaction from their contributions through direct participation in the research activities that were conducted by the university-CAB team. The collective responses indicated that most CAB members were satisfied with trust built between the university-CAB team and the diversity represented in the members of the board. However, given that the Bay Area is home to a very diverse Muslim community, challenges in recruiting representatives that account for all possible self-identifying groups was reported by the CAB with recommendations to recruit religious leaders. Recommendations also included eliciting funds for potential financial compensation for CAB members. CONCLUSIONS The Stanford-San Francisco Bay Area CAB demonstrated that empowering community members through direct participation, creating channels and safe spaces for feedback help create community rooted research that carry the true voices of marginalised communities and reflects their evolving needs.
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Ali S, Mahmood A, McBryde-Redzovic A, Humam F, Awaad R. Role of Mosque Communities in Supporting Muslims with Mental Illness: Results of CBPR-oriented Focus Groups in the Bay Area, California. Psychiatr Q 2022; 93:985-1001. [PMID: 36322232 PMCID: PMC9628571 DOI: 10.1007/s11126-022-10002-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Objective The purpose of this study was to explore perspectives of Muslims residing in the Bay Area, California on the role of the mosque community in supporting community members' mental health needs and barriers to mental health care for members who experience mental health challenges. Methods This study employed a CBPR-focused qualitative approach in the form of content analysis of three focus group discussions organized and conducted with the help of a Community Advisory Board made up of members of the Muslim Community Association. Results Two major themes were identified upon examination of the data: services needed in the mosque community and barriers to addressing mental health issues in the mosque community. Specifically, participants reported wanting support groups within the mosque space, mosque-based activities, virtual support, community social workers, and family-oriented services. Barriers reported included community stigma, lack of cultural awareness of race-ethnic minorities within the community, attribution of mental illness to lack of faith or supernatural causes, and specific barriers unique to vulnerable/special subgroups within the community. Conclusion These findings highlight the need for developing mental health-related services and social support initiatives within the mosque space, specifically for those Muslim Americans living in the Bay Area in California. Furthermore, special attention needs to be placed on the barriers to accessing these services as identified by the community members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ali
- Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Services, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA USA
| | - Aafreen Mahmood
- School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Aminah McBryde-Redzovic
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Fairuziana Humam
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Miami, Miami, FL USA
| | - Rania Awaad
- Stanford Muslim Mental Health and Islamic Psychology Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA USA
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Saleem R, Morrill Z, Brodt M, Pagan-Ortiz ME. Oppression and resistance: An analysis of Muslims' experiences of structural violence. J Community Psychol 2022; 50:426-444. [PMID: 33971030 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Discrimination and vilification of Muslims in the United States have historical and political roots. This study explores everyday incidents of marginalization and oppression through the framework of structural violence. Structural violence refers to the systemic inequalities embedded within societal structures that create and support these oppressive conditions. In this community-engaged qualitative study, 10 self-identified Muslims from the northeastern United States were interviewed to understand their lived experiences of structural violence. Using thematic analysis, seven themes were identified: Racialized and xenophobic Islamophobia; normalized violence against Muslims and fear of safety; exclusion, marginalization, and subjugation through policies; Muslims as spokespersons for Islam; Intersecting marginalized identities and oppression; challenges of navigating Muslim identities; resilience and resistance through faith, activism, and community. This study aims to understand and contextualize the experiences of Muslims within a systemic and geopolitical framework. Another critical objective is to promote a discourse to address how academics and clinicians reproduce and maintain structural violence and to instead engage in socially transformative approaches embedded in the principles of decolonizing and mutually-liberating cross-struggle solidarity. These must be cultivated through community-informed intersectional collaborative strategies for dismantling oppressive structures and promoting agency, resilience, activism, and resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakhshanda Saleem
- Division of Counseling and Psychology, Lesley University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zenobia Morrill
- Division of Counseling and Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Madeline Brodt
- Division of Counseling and Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marta E Pagan-Ortiz
- Division of Counseling and Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Barajas-Gonzalez RG, Ursache A, Kamboukos D, Huang KY, Dawson-McClure S, Urcuyo A, Huang TJJ, Brotman LM. Parental perceived immigration threat and children's mental health, self-regulation and executive functioning in pre-Kindergarten. Am J Orthopsychiatry 2021; 92:176-189. [PMID: 34968118 PMCID: PMC9132160 DOI: 10.1037/ort0000591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Many children in immigrant households endure unique stressors shaped by national, state, and local immigration policies and enforcement activity in the United States. Qualitative studies find that during times of heightened immigration enforcement, children as young as 3 years of age show signs of behavioral distress related to national anti-immigrant sentiment and the possibility of losing a parent. Using multiple sources of data from 168 racially and ethnically diverse families of children in pre-Kindergarten, the present study examined variability in perceived levels of immigration enforcement threat by parental immigrant status and ethnicity. This study examined associations between immigration enforcement threat and child mental health, self-regulation, and executive functioning and whether parent immigrant status or child gender moderates these associations. We found substantial variability in perceived immigration threat, with immigrant parents and Latinx parents reporting significantly greater levels of immigration threat compared to nonimmigrant parents and non-Latinx parents. Immigration enforcement threat was associated with greater child separation anxiety and overanxious behaviors, and lower self-regulation among boys and girls and among children of immigrant and U.S.-born parents. In contrast to our hypothesis, immigration enforcement threat was associated with higher self-regulation according to independent assessor ratings. Educators and healthcare providers working with young children from immigrant and Latinx households should be aware of the disproportionate stress experienced by immigrant and Latinx families due to a xenophobic sociopolitical climate marked by heightened immigration enforcement threat and racist, anti-immigrant rhetoric. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Anya Urcuyo
- Center for Early Childhood Health and Development
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Gavulic KA, Gonzales G. Did the Orlando shooting at Pulse Nightclub affect sexual minority mental health? Results and challenges using population-based data. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/19359705.2020.1819501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle A. Gavulic
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Gilbert Gonzales
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Medicine, Health & Society, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Program for Public Policy Studies, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Tineo P, Bonumwezi JL, Lowe SR. Discrimination and Posttraumatic Growth Among Muslim American Youth: Mediation via Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms. J Trauma Dissociation 2021; 22:188-201. [PMID: 33492194 DOI: 10.1080/15299732.2020.1869086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Muslim Americans increasingly have been targets of discrimination. Previous research has provided preliminary evidence that higher perceived discrimination is associated with higher symptoms of discrimination-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and higher discrimination-related posttraumatic growth (PTG). Further research in other contexts has shown that PTSD symptoms mediate the relationship between event severity and PTG. However, no existing studies have explored discrimination-related PTG and whether PTSD symptoms mediate the relationship between perceived discrimination and discrimination-related PTG among Muslim Americans. The current study included 110 Muslim American college students who completed an online survey assessing perceived discrimination, discrimination-related PTSD symptoms, and discrimination-related PTG. Higher perceived discrimination was significantly associated with higher discrimination-related PTG at the bivariate level. In a multivariable mediation model, the indirect effect of perceived discrimination on discrimination-related PTG via discrimination-related PTSD was statistically significant. The results suggest that clinicians working with Muslim American college students should attend to the ways in which their discriminatory experiences could foster PTG, in addition to helping them cope with PTSD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petty Tineo
- Department of Psychology, Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jessica L Bonumwezi
- Department of Psychology, Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey, USA
| | - Sarah R Lowe
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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McLeigh JD, Taylor D. The role of religious institutions in preventing, eradicating, and mitigating violence against children. Child Abuse Negl 2020; 110:104313. [PMID: 31859002 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
When religious institutions are discussed in the context of child maltreatment, the topic is typically sources of danger for children. Although some religious institutions are counted among the formal organizations in which child abuse has occurred and in which accusations have been covered up, to focus solely on religion and its institutions as sources of threat or to exclude them from discussions of addressing, preventing, and eradicating violence against children, would be a mistake. Throughout the world, there exist communities of faith that provide formal and informal resources, supports, and opportunities to children and families in their midst. This article provides a rationale for including religious institutions in conversations about and in efforts to protect children, examples of efforts by religious institutions to provide protection to children, a discussion of religion and its institutions as potential sources of risk for children, and suggestions for research on the role of religious institutions in child protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill D McLeigh
- Rees-Jones Center for FosterCare Excellence, Children's Health, United States.
| | - David Taylor
- Institute on Family & Neighborhood Life, Clemson University, United States
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Mandviwala T. Private Revolutions of Second-generation Muslim American Women. Curr Opin Psychol 2020; 35:26-30. [PMID: 32248044 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
While certain research topics regarding second-generation Muslim American women are still relevant, (e.g., Islamophobia and the hijab), recent research unearths the nuances within these topics while also moving away from them for a more holistic, accurate picture of the population. The gendered and racialized aspects of Islamophobia are examined, but so, too, are the responses and the agency of the women who are subjected to these prejudices. The reactions of Muslim women are critical to recognize as they highlight their agency and their presence as intentional actors in their own lives. Navigating both Muslim and non-Muslim spheres, they activate different sources of cultural knowledge for both while also creating their own dynamic, experiential sources. These new sources include the marrying of "American" technologies to traditional Islamic reasoning to create a third body of knowledge that is uniquely second-generation, Muslim, and American. The cumulative result of a generation of women having private identity revolutions is a slow but sure sociocultural change for Islam in America.
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Girgis I. Protective Factors and Processes Fostering Resilience and Buffering Psychosocial Distress among Later-Life Egyptian Immigrants. J Gerontol Soc Work 2020; 63:41-77. [PMID: 31948371 DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2020.1715522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This qualitative study explores and describes the protective factors and processes that foster resilience and buffer psychosocial distress among later-life Egyptian immigrants post immigration to the US. Open-ended structured interviews were conducted with (30) later-life Egyptian immigrants who came to the United States after turning 60 years of age. Thematic analysis was used to analyze patterns within the data. The findings of this study reveal that the availability and utilization of psychosocial resources - due to opportunities embedded in their sociocultural context and coping strategies embedded in their individual strengths and cultural or religious beliefs - play a pivotal role in buffering the losses and acculturative stressors triggered by transitioning to a new environment. The findings of this study can be used to inform psychosocial and therapeutic interventions and guide the development of appropriate social work programs and services for later-life Egyptian immigrants in particular and older Arabic-speaking immigrants in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ihab Girgis
- New York State Department of Health, Home Health Care and Hospice, New York, NY, 10007, USA
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Koerten HR, Bogusch LM, Varga AV, O’Brien WH. The perceived impact of the 2016 election: A mediation model predicting health outcomes. J Soc Polit Psych 2019. [DOI: 10.5964/jspp.v7i1.1065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study examined the relationship between the self-reported personal impact of the election of President Donald J. Trump, as measured by the Personal Impact of the Election Scale (PIES), and physical and mental health. A sample of 299 MTurk Amazon workers completed an online survey, including measures of the perceived personal impact of the 2016 presidential election, thought suppression, and mental and physical health. A mediation model was tested, with thought suppression included as a mediator of the relationship between the PIES and physical and mental health. Results indicated that thought suppression partially mediated the relationship between the PIES and physical and mental health. Specifically, the perceived impact of the election was positively associated with thought suppression (β = .51, SE = .01, p < .001), which was in turn negatively associated with physical health (β = -.25, SE = .44, p < .001) and mental health (β = -.50, SE = .47, p < .001). The results of this study suggest that perceptions of this sociopolitical event were related to the health of United States citizens and show a need for large-scale interventions to address this relationship, especially for those who feel threatened based on their ethnic or religious background.
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