عنوان

"I'm Proud to Be Black, I'm Proud to Be Muslim. I'm Good, but Everybody Else Is Trippin'!": Identity & Psychological Well-Being among Black American Muslim Emerging Adults

Number

TL52796

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

"I'm Proud to Be Black, I'm Proud to Be Muslim. I'm Good, but Everybody Else Is Trippin'!": Identity & Psychological Well-Being among Black American Muslim Emerging Adults

General Material Designation

[Thesis]

First Statement of Responsibility

Mu'Min, Kameelah

Subsequent Statement of Responsibility

Rothery, Cheryll

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Chestnut Hill College

Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.

2019

Text of Note

239 p.

Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree

Psy.D.

Body granting the degree

Chestnut Hill College

Text preceding or following the note

2019

Text of Note

A significant percentage of both the Black/African American and American Muslim communities fall into the emerging adult stage of development (18-29 years old), 25% and 40% respectively. Identity exploration is a defining feature of emerging adulthood. Black and Muslim emerging adults' identity and psychological well-being are negatively impacted by perceived racial and religious discrimination. Consequently, the experience of racism and marginalization further complicates an already "fraught" (Arnett & Brody, 2008) life stage for Black emerging adults. Yet there are no studies available which examine the experiences of Black Muslim emerging adults who stand at the intersection of these targeted identities. The goal of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to explore the lived experiences of Black American Muslim emerging adults age 18-25 years old who reside in the United States as it relates to their racial and religious identity, and subjective reports of psychological well-being. The participants for this study included 12 self-identified Black American Muslim young adults (7 cisgender females and 5 cisgender males) between the ages of 18-25 who reside in the continental US. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a phenomenological approach which generated 4 themes. The results included: navigating anti-Black racism and Islamophobia; sense of belonging and pride in Black Muslim family, community, culture, history/heritage; the role of religion, faith and spirituality; and coping, well-being and spiritual resilience. The study results highlighted the ways in which experiences of discrimination, marginalization and oppression shape the process of emerging adulthood for those who identify as both a racial and religious minority. Given the pervasive nature of discrimination, Black American Muslim emerging adults expressed symptoms of race based traumatic stress and racial battle fatigue. They utilized spirituality and faith as a means of coping yet still remain significantly overwhelmed by the intensity of the injuries they suffer due to discrimination. Black American Muslim emerging adults benefited greatly from relationships with Black Muslim caregivers and role models who instilled in them race pride and actively supported their engagement with Islam as both an integral part of who they are and a way to cope with environments hostile to their personal growth and self-esteem. Clinical implications included: mental health professionals increasing awareness of the sociopolitical context impacting Black Muslim emerging adults; adopting a stance of curiosity and humility while proactively addressing issues of racial and religious identity, specifically within the therapeutic relationship. Higher education professionals and administrators should support greater collaboration between cultural and spiritual life centers to explore impact of religious identity and religious minority status on belonging and community building. Recommendations for future research include recruiting a more diverse sample with respect to sectarian affiliation, educational and class background, geographic location, and sexual orientation. Future studies should be conducted on Black Muslim emerging adults in the areas of conversion to Islam; love, intimacy, courtship and marriage; sectarian affiliation/membership and identity development; gendered Islamophobia; and development of Black Muslim affinity spaces.

Subject Term

African American studies

Subject Term

Black studies

Subject Term

Islam

Mu'Min, Kameelah

Rothery, Cheryll

Chestnut Hill College

Electronic name

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y