Abstract
We aimed to examine the biopsychosocial spiritual strengths and concerns of college affiliated Muslims living in the southeast U.S. through an online photovoice study to enhance their biopsychosocial spiritual wellbeing. Muslims in the U.S., including those living in the southeast, face many issues (physical attacks, discrimination); yet, they are underserved and understudied. To conduct this study in a culturally and contextually appropriate way, we tailored photovoice to collect data online, modified interpretative phenomenological analysis to analyze data, and utilized ecological systems theory and ally theory as our theoretical framework. A total of 131 Muslims participated, of which 118 (80 men and 38 women) completed the participation. The results revealed eight distinct strength and nine concern clusters. The two most reported strengths were having a supportive community (n = 57) and prayer in Islam (n = 43). The two most reported concerns were lack of prayer facilities (n = 54) and lack of support (n = 32). Following the analysis, a photovoice exhibit and a community dinner were held, where the results were shared with the participants, allies (organizations, departments, chaplain, university), and key people such as administrators, the Muslim community, and others interested. The most important issues were addressed through advocacy, and the connection between Muslims and allies seemed to increase. This study has practical implications. Mental and public health professionals as providers, researchers, and educators must focus on the primary clusters to address Muslims’ biopsychosocial spiritual issues and wellbeing. The professionals can utilize the online photovoice to understand and serve other people contextually in more effective ways especially in the face of disasters (e.g., conflicts, wars, epidemics, pandemics, hurricanes) when it is much more convenient to participate online.
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Acknowledgments
We deeply appreciate all the research support received from the Muslim and non-Muslim community who made the study possible and productive; the study required so much effort that without the help and guidance of the following people it would have been much more difficult. Therefore, thanks to all who helped, and special thanks to UNC Greensboro counseling department, and the following people at UNC Greensboro: Drs. Kelly Wester, Kelly Moore Spencer, Hallie Sylvestro, Jaimie Stickl Haugen, and J. Scott Young at the department of counseling; Drs. Vincent T. Francisco and Muhsin Michael Orsini at the department of public health education; the board members of the Muslim Student Association Abdelrahman Elnoush, Asiya Khan, Ayah Khalifa, Duaa Altholoya, Faris Almubaslat, Hajar Tadili, Hossam Boucteb, Lena Ragab, and Yasmin Ali; the co-presidents of the Research Association of Muslims at UNC Greensboro Aaliyah Rasheed, Zargham Muhammad, Abdulah Almulhim, Ahmed Hadhel, Hamza Minhas, Khalifa Almamari, Mykala Thomas, Sarah Kassem, and Aslihan Sakar; Muslim chaplain Abdoulmouhaimin Zeba; Murat Köse and Enis Ucuncu from the Muslim community; and finally to Augusto “Gus” Peña as the director of the UNC Greensboro Office of Intercultural Engagement.
We also appreciate the following organizations for financing the dinner for the exhibit: Department of Counseling at UNC Greensboro, Zakat Foundation of America- North Carolina Chapter, Islamic Relief USA, Islamic Center of Triad, Islamic Center of Greensboro. We asked multiple stakeholders to share the cost together rather than just one to make the process more collaborative and meaningful.
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Except for a few local and national organizations that arranged the dinner for the photovoice exhibit and gathering, no other funding support was received.
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Note 1: Ahmet Tanhan, the first author, received a research award for this current study at 11th Muslim mental health conference organized by the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan partnering with American Psychiatric Association (APA) and Institute for Muslim Mental Health in 2019 at Tempe, Arizona, the USA. For the research award video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUsFdbm_g3Q.
Note 2: The method section,online photovoice, of this paper was partially presented at 11th Muslim mental health conference in 2019, Tempe, AZ, the USA.
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Tanhan, A., Strack, R.W. Online photovoice to explore and advocate for Muslim biopsychosocial spiritual wellbeing and issues: Ecological systems theory and ally development. Curr Psychol 39, 2010–2025 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00692-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00692-6