Chaudhry Aeysha, Hebert-Beirne Jennifer, Alessi Edward J, Khuzam Maya Z, Mitchell Uchechi, Molina Yamile, Wasfie Dhuha, Fox Samara, Abboud Sarah
School of Public Health, Division of Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
School of Social Work, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Qual Health Res. 2025 Mar;35(3):305-318. doi: 10.1177/10497323241265288. Epub 2024 Aug 22.
Using an intersectionality lens and the minority stress theory as our theoretical grounding, this qualitative study is the first to examine the mental health of Arab sexual minority women (SMW) migrants to the United States. The study aimed to (1) explore the perceptions and experiences of intersectional minority identity-related life stressors and (2) discern their impact on the mental health of first-generation Arab SMW migrants. From December 2022 to March 2023, we conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with Arab SMW migrants. Guided by principles of community engagement in research, four community advisors, including three Arab SMW migrants and a mental health service provider, assisted in mock interviews, recruitment, and data analysis. This enriched our thematic analysis providing a nuanced understanding of Arab SMW migrant experiences. Participants reflected diverse nationalities, socioeconomic statuses, and religions and identified as lesbian, bisexual, or queer. Our sample included asylum seekers, documented migrants, and non-binary individuals (assigned female at birth). Findings revealed three major themes: (1) Community- and Interpersonal-Level Stressors, (2) Strategies for Coping with Stressors, and (3) Impact of Intersectional Life Stressors on Mental Health. Community- and interpersonal-level stressors included challenges navigating migration-related stressors, rejection and discrimination from the Arab, queer, and dominant-group (i.e., non-Arab, non-White) communities, and experiences of invalidation of their intersectional identities. Coping mechanisms included avoidance, identity concealment, and seeking social support. Participants reported various mental health impacts, from anxiety, depression to suicidal thoughts, emphasizing the urgency for tailored interventions. Participants called for the development of support groups specifically for Arab SMW migrants.
本定性研究以交叉性视角和少数群体压力理论为理论基础，首次对移民到美国的阿拉伯性少数女性（SMW）的心理健康状况进行了考察。该研究旨在：（1）探究与交叉性少数群体身份相关的生活压力源的认知和经历；（2）识别这些压力源对第一代阿拉伯SMW移民心理健康的影响。2022年12月至2023年3月，我们对阿拉伯SMW移民进行了20次半结构化访谈。在社区参与研究原则的指导下，包括三名阿拉伯SMW移民和一名心理健康服务提供者在内的四名社区顾问协助进行了模拟访谈、招募和数据分析。这丰富了我们的主题分析，使我们对阿拉伯SMW移民的经历有了更细致入微的理解。参与者反映了不同的国籍、社会经济地位和宗教信仰，并自我认同为女同性恋、双性恋或酷儿。我们的样本包括寻求庇护者、有文件证明的移民和非二元性别者（出生时被指定为女性）。研究结果揭示了三个主要主题：（1）社区和人际层面的压力源；（2）应对压力源的策略；（3）交叉性生活压力源对心理健康的影响。社区和人际层面的压力源包括应对与移民相关压力源的挑战、来自阿拉伯、酷儿和主导群体（即非阿拉伯、非白人）社区的排斥和歧视，以及他们的交叉性身份被否定的经历。应对机制包括回避、身份隐瞒和寻求社会支持。参与者报告了各种心理健康影响，从焦虑、抑郁到自杀念头，强调了针对性干预措施的紧迫性。参与者呼吁专门为阿拉伯SMW移民设立支持小组。
