Saturday, 15 January 2005 - 4:00 PM

This presentation is part of: Community Trauma and Access to Mental Health Care: Using Mixed Methodology to Uncover Need, Barriers and Innovative Pathways

The Impact of September 11th Upon Arab-Americans' Wellbeing

Research Purpose: On September 11, 2001, Arab-Americans and Muslims, like millions of their fellow citizens, were horrified, feeling disbelief and disgust about the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Pentagon in Washington, DC. However, unlike their fellow American citizens, during the hours following the attacks, they collectively became the subject of suspicion, hostility, hate crimes, and harassment. This study explores the impact of September 11th on mental health, barriers to obtaining mental health services, coping strategies and perception of ongoing trauma, and the positive and negative changes among Arab Americans living in New York City.

Methods: Eight focus groups and 25 face-to-face interviews were conducted. Focus groups provide direct access to the central concepts, language, and reactions to a sensitive topic that would be difficult to capture using other techniques. In-depth face-to-face interviews allow researchers to modify questions on the spot as well as utilizing extensive probes.

Each focus group consisted of 8 to 11 participants residing in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, with a total n of 83. For both focus groups and individual interviews, the investigators used a structured but flexible interview guided by trauma theory and designed to solicit perspectives on the impact of September 11th on the Arab-American Community. Each focus group and face-to-face interview was documented and all notes were kept in file. Further, two investigators coded the transcribed interviews following the system developed by Morgan & Krueger (1993). Thematic findings were compared and contrasted using documentation from both groups and face-to-face interviews.

Results: The findings revealed that participants in both focus groups and face-to-face interviews identified several common areas of concerns. These included fear of further hate crimes, anxiety about the future, threat to safety, loss of community, isolation and stigmatization. Barriers included lack of adequate mental health services available to address their special needs during and after the September 11 trauma, and the community stigma associated with the use of mental health services. Participants also attributed positive meaning to the experience. Most participants expressed a high level of faith, tolerance, and forgiveness as active coping methods. They acknowledged that the attack evoked certain efforts to ensure their safety and further educate the American public about the culture, real meaning of Islam, and the major needs and struggles of the Arab-American community.

Implications: The study findings suggest that the traumatic events of September 11 had devastating impacts on the mental health and community stability among Arab-Americans living in Brooklyn. Positive coping strategies could be identified as well. Information from this study can assist social workers and clinical psychologists as they develop mental health initiatives using community outreach strategies. Integrating psychosocial and psychoeducational interventions into non-stigmatizing physical settings, such as community centers should minimize the stigma associated with mental health services. This process should enhance recovery and healing, both at the individual and community levels, particularly if services are provided by those who are culturally and linguistically competent and sensitive.

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