This article demonstrates that demographic variables such as race and education should be considered together when evaluating the effectiveness of coping with pain. The findings have the potential to enhance research and clinical practice with diverse groups.

Refugee research to date has predominantly focused on factors that make refugees more vulnerable for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and /or psychological distress. Few papers have studied potential protective factors such as resilience. A targeted non-random sample of Iraqi refugees (n=75) and a control group of non-Iraqi Arab immigrants (n=53) were recruited from a number of Iraqi/Arab community institutions in Michigan to complete a questionnaire that included measures for psychological distress, PTSD symptoms, exposure to trauma, and resilience. Refugees reported significantly more PTSD symptoms (T-test, p<.01) and psychological distress (p<.05) compared to immigrants. There was no difference in resilience between the two groups. In linear regression, pre-migration exposure to violence was a significant predictor of psychological distress (p<.01) and PTSD symptoms (p<.01). After controlling for migrant status and violence exposure, resilience was a significant inverse predictor of psychological distress (p<.001) but not of PTSD. Resilience is associated with less trauma-related psychological distress and should be considered in assessing risk and protective factors among victims of war-related violence.

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Information is limited on alcohol use among Arab Americans. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the alcohol use pattern among Arab Americans by reviewing existing surveys using an acculturation model. Secondary data analysis. Nationally, English-speaking immigrant Arab Americans reported lower rates of lifetime alcohol use (50.8%), past month use (26.4%) and binge drinking (10%) than the White majority group. In a state survey, self-identified English-speaking Arab Americans were less likely to report past month use (45.6%) than the White majority group but reported similar rate of binge drinking (17.0%). Locally, lifetime drinking was reported by 46.2% of the immigrants but only 13.4% of refugees fleeing war. Few databases are available to estimate alcohol use pattern among Arab Americans; the limited data suggest a drinking pattern consistent with acculturation. However, the potential influence of other factors is unknown and needs to be investigated.

Objective: To determine whether employees' spiritual values and practices in the workplace attenuate occupational stress and work-related exhaustion, and promote mental well-being. Methods: Participants (N = 649) completed validated measures of mental well-being, occupational stress, and workrelated exhaustion, as well as two newly developed measures of individual spiritual values and practices in the workplace. Results: Factor analysis confirmed that spirituality items belonged to two separate constructs. In logistic regression models, the Spiritual Values in the Workplace scale was positively associated with mental well-being and low occupational stress. The spiritual practices at work scale was positively associated with low workrelated exhaustion. Conclusions: Employee spiritual values and practices, as well as workplace acceptance of such practices, appear to promote mental well-being and attenuate stress.