Coping with trauma: Resilience among immigrants of color in the United States.

Abstract

P eople immigrate for many reasons (e.g., economics and work, family reunification, refuge) that vary in their level of exposure to trauma. In addition to typical stressors of immigration, immigrants of color may face additional challenges given their ethnic minority status (Suárez-Orozco et al., 2012). Various conditions precede immigration for those who come to the United States. This chapter utilizes the model of cumulative racial/ethnic trauma for Americans of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) descent to frame a discussion of resilience among MENA Americans and other immigrants of color (Awad et al., 2019). We focus on the macro-and microlevel aspects of their immigration experiences. Specifically, macrolevel aspects related to historical trauma, national context, and institution discrimination are discussed. Further microlevel aspects such as interpersonal discrimination and identity are presented. The chapter concludes by discussing protective and resilience factors used to cope with the aforementioned factors and providing a brief case vignette that illustrates immigrants' navigation of stress and resilience. MACROLEVEL FACTORS RELATED TO IMMIGRANT TRAUMA Historical Trauma and the National ContextAccording to Awad et al. (2019), there are three macrolevel factors related to cumulative racial and ethnic trauma-historical trauma, national context, and institutional discrimination-that may also generally apply to immigrants

Discrimination and Mental Health Outcomes Among 1.5- and 2nd-Generation Muslim College Students

“…Accessing social support within and outside of one’s family and ethnic and/or religious community is thought to help Muslim American emerging adults to cope with discrimination (Awad et al, 2021; Manejwala & Abu-Ras, 2019; Tummala-Narra & Claudius, 2013). However, emerging adults appear to have mixed experiences of seeking support.…”

“…Experiences of Islamophobia have been found to have detrimental impacts on mental health and well-being of Muslim, Arab, and South Asian Americans (Abu-Ras & Suárez, 2009; Aprahamian et al, 2011; Awad et al, 2021; Lowe, Tineo, Bonumwezi, & Bailey, 2019; Lowe, Tineo, & Young, 2019; Tummala-Narra, 2021). Still, there is a scarcity of research examining different types and contexts of discrimination and their relationship with mental health symptomology among Muslim American college students.…”

Pre-Pandemic Adversity Buffers the Role of Social Loneliness in Caregiver Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…COVID-19 affected all families in the United States, but the disruptions of the pandemic have disproportionately impacted the well-being of families who have historically faced greater adversity, particularly families of color and low-income families. Families of color and low-income families are more likely to work in industries that experienced significant lay-offs and furloughs, and they are more likely to work in industries that require in-person work, consequently increasing risk of COVID-19 exposure and transmission ([ 6 ]; Hardy and Logan 2020).…”

“…While the effects of COVID-19 have and will continue to unevenly impact Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and low-income households, research on resilience has found that the more experience people have with prior disasters or adversities, the more they are prepared and able to navigate systems during future struggles [ 8 ]. Indeed, some studies have found high resilience in families of color in the wake of COVID-19 and other traumatic events [ 6 , 9 ]. Researchers have also found that low-income families are resilient in numerous ways and able to solve problems when they arise [ 10 ].…”