Growing Up MENA in America: Racism and its Impact on Mental Health and Identity Development

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

An entire generation of Middle Eastern, North African, and Arabic (MENA) youth have grown up in a post 911 America which poses significant challenges to physical and mental health, well-being, and identity development. There has, however, been a dearth of research focused on the MENA population more generally and the developmental impact of these contextual factors more specifically. In this symposium we draw together three studies that address this important gap in the developmental literature. These studies all highlight the unique developmental challenges faced by MENA youth. Further, they all have implications for meaningful prevention and policy approaches to promote resilient outcomes among MENA youth.
The first paper examines narrative identity trajectories of MENA individuals from childhood through emerging adulthood with a focus on promoting positive ethnic and cultural identity development in the face of negative childhood and adolescent experiences related to their MENA identity. The second paper presents a structural model which provides supportive evidence for the direct links between perceived anti-Muslim racism and poor mental health of Arab American adolescents. This paper also explores the indirect effects of perceived anti-Muslim racism through increases in perceived stress. The third paper reports on the associations between lesson learning and resolution valence in adolescent conflict narratives to positive ethnic identity development and a personal sense of resiliency among MENA individuals. Taken together these papers highlight the need for more research and dialogue about the developmental experiences of MENA youth.

Sub Unit

• Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Chair

• Robert Ty Partridge, Wayne State University

Discussant

• Kristine J. Ajrouch, Eastern Michigan University

Individual Presentations

• Identity development of MENA identifying individuals: A Mixed-method Narrative Study of Living in Two Cultures - Presenting Author: Lama Hassoun Ayoub, Wayne State University; Non-Presenting Author: Robert Ty Partridge, Wayne State University

• A Structural Mediation Model Examining Perceived Racism, Perceived Stress, Psychological Symptoms among Arab American Adolescents - Presenting Author: Sawssan R. Ahmed, California State University - Fullerton; Non-Presenting Author: Dylan Serpas, California State University, Fullerton; Non-Presenting Author: Denise Chavira, UCLA; Non-Presenting Author: Hector Myers, Vanderbuilt University

• The Association of Identity Challenge Resolution Valence and Identity Perception among MENA Adolescents. - Presenting Author: Habeba Elmadawy, Wayne State University; Non-Presenting Author: Robert Ty Partridge, Wayne State University