Exploring the Mental Health Needs of LGBTQ+ Muslims in the United States: A Scoping Review

Background and Purpose:
This study explores key principles for supporting Muslim clients with mental health challenges, particularly LGBTQ+ Muslims, who face tension between religious teachings and their queer identities, leading to isolation, rejection, guilt, depression, anxiety, and suicidality (Dunne, 1990; Rahman, 2014). Barriers such as limited access to culturally appropriate care and societal rejection further exacerbate these issues (Mansour, 2021; El Hayek et al., 2023). This scoping review examines the mental health challenges of LGBTQ+ Muslims in the U.S., especially Arab Americans, highlighting the intersection of cultural, religious, racial, and sexual identities. It identifies gaps in research, particularly the lack of clinical frameworks and intervention strategies, and calls for further studies on long-term outcomes, resilience, and systemic changes to support this population.

Methods:
This scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley’s (2005) framework and the PRISMA-ScR checklist. A literature search was conducted across Google Scholar, ProQuest, and EBSCO using keywords related to LGBTQ+ Muslims, mental health, stigma, and Arab Americans. Inclusion criteria included peer-reviewed empirical articles from 2001 to 2025 focused on LGBTQ+ Muslims in the U.S. and their mental health or well-being. Excluded were non-English sources and non-empirical works. Articles were screened through title, abstract, and full-text reviews, supported by AI tools and Excel. Data were extracted into a structured matrix and analyzed through the Minority Stress Theory framework, focusing on stressors and resilience factors related to intersecting identities.

Results:
The review emphasizes the need for mental health professionals to approach LGBTQ+ Muslims, particularly Arab Americans, with cultural humility and an understanding of intersecting identities. Clinicians should integrate culturally and spiritually informed approaches, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), with Islamic values while prioritizing the client’s agency. Affirmative care must also engage religious and spiritual dimensions, allowing providers to explore theological concerns without pathologizing religious beliefs. Ongoing cultural humility is crucial, requiring clinicians to reflect on their biases and power dynamics. Training programs should promote structural competency to address Islamophobia and heterosexism in clinical practice. Additionally, community-based strategies, including partnerships with queer Muslim organizations and faith leaders, can offer comprehensive support beyond therapy.

Conclusions and Implications:
The review highlights significant mental health distress among LGBTQ+ Muslims in the U.S., particularly Arab Americans, due to religious stigma, familial rejection, racial marginalization, and limited access to affirming care. Common issues include depression, anxiety, and suicidality. However, resilience is also evident, as many individuals reclaim their faith and build supportive networks. This study calls for social work practice, policy, and research to adopt culturally and spiritually responsive approaches that address systemic oppression, such as Islamophobia and racism. It urges institutions to be more inclusive and engage with LGBTQ+ Muslims through diverse curricula and community partnerships. Future research should focus on underrepresented groups, such as trans and disabled queer Muslims, and develop culturally grounded care models (Mansour, 2021; El Hayek et al., 2023).