Main description:

There is a continued need to understand the culture of Americans of Arab descent, along with the range of typical developmental pathways as well as dysfunctional symptomologies. The first edition of this book was unique in that it is divided into three distinct yet interwoven sections - culture, psychosocial development, and health and disease. Arab Americans have been catapulted into the media and other spotlights, not all positive, in the ongoing aftermath of the 9-11 tragedy and the international war on terror, within both contexts as unwitting scapegoats. Moreover, the population of Arab Americans, or those with ancestry from one of the 22 Arab League states, is growing in number. Coupled with the current tenure of Xenophobia and exposed structural racism in the US, clinical and community practitioners must be attuned to their clients of Arab ancestry, as well as the nuances of their developmental and health concerns. This second edition provides a rich overview of critical topics in an updated and contemporary relevant context. The audience for the text includes counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses, psychiatrists, sociologists, and any other public and mental health practitioners who work with clients and patients of Arab descent. Editors represent a team of leading experts spanning disciplines of sociology, clinical mental health, and medicine and community public health.

"This edition draws on leading experts in Arab American health and sociology who document the complexity of this population's immigration and acculturation experience. It offers critical and current research that speaks to the centrality of context and diversity in treating Americans of Arab descent. Contributors explore the complex and limited racial framework within which Arabs in the U.S. form their identities, and the impact of structural racism on their lives and health. This collection offers practitioners much needed insights on a population often hidden or rendered invisible by data limitations, and yet misrepresented by cultural stereotypes."

Helen Hatab Samhan, Former Executive Director, Arab American Institute/Foundation

"Nassar, Ajrouch, Hakim-Larson, and Dallo's breakthrough work in the area of culturally competent health care has been inspiring across interdisciplinary fields and to the communities they serve. Their work on Arab American health issues, in particular, has greatly improved clinical practice at the community and national levels. I heartily recommend taking the time to become familiar with their important body of work and this latest text."

Ismael Ahmed, Former Michigan State Director of Health and Human Services

Contents:

Chapter 1: Contexts of Immigration and Diversity: Biopsychosocial implications for Arab Americans (Ajrouch, Samhan, Nassar) This chapter will address the importance of immigration contexts (highlighting the newest waves of "immigration" e.g., refugees), for the diversity of Arab American experiences. In particular, the chapter will present events/changes in ME and the US over last 10 years, the impact/implications for health in ME and the US, and the connections between them. The diversity of Arab American experiences that arise because of these contexts will then be presented -possibly replacing Samhan's chapter below or perhaps in addition Section I: Arab American Culture: Introduction (Ajrouch) Chapter 2: Identity and Discrimination (Erik Love) This chapter will consider the interplay between identity and the experiences of discrimination among Arab Americans. Chapter 3: Intergenerational Relations (Rebecca Karam) This chapter will replace the family value chapter to focus on the latest issues around intergenerational family relations. Chapter 4: Gender and Racialized Experience at Work (Salam Abolhassan) This chapter will replace the gender chapter and focus on both women's and men's experiences in the world of work. Chapter 5: Cultural Sources and Expressions of Stigma around Health (Tahira Abdullah) This chapter will replace the forgiveness chapter to focus on the cultural foundations of stigma associated with various health issues (e.g., Cancer, Mental Health, Dementia). Chapter 6: Adapting an Alzheimer's Disease Care Intervention to Arab American Families (Ajrouch, Janevic, Antonucci) This chapter will replace the aging chapter to document the ways in which cultural ideals and pragmatic experiences informed the adaptation of an existing Alzheimer's Disease Care Intervention to the context of Arab American families. Part II: Psychology and Arab Americans: An Introduction (Hakim-Larson) Chapter 7: Developmental Psychology and Arab Americans: (Julie Hakim-Larson and Jenna Thompson)- Hakim-Larson and Thompson will provide an overview of taking a life-span developmental psychopathology approach to Arab Americans with a focus on the role of vulnerabilities, risk and protective factors, and the study of resilience. Chapter 8: Acculturation (Amer). Mona Amer will review the current state of the literature on acculturation in Arab Americans. Chapter 9: Refugees (Kira, Amer, Wrobel). Ibrahim Kira, Mona Amer, and Nancy Wrobel will address the worldwide refugee crisis as it applies to the health and well-being of refugees Chapter 10: Mental Health Risks (Wrobel and co-authors tbd). Taking a developmental psychology approach, Nancy Wrobel and co-authors will review the literature on specific risk factors related to pathology in Arab Americans. Chapter 11: Mental Health Interventions and Resilience in Arab Americans-Julie Hakim-Larson, Abirami Kandasamy, and Clare Hinch. Hakim-Larson, Kandasamy, and Hinch will discuss specific mental health interventions and prevention strategies with Arab Americans as well as their resilience in overcoming adversities. Part III Public Health: Primary and Secondary Data Sources: An Introduction (Dallo) Chapter 12: Primary and secondary data sources (Flora Dallo): This chapter will provide brief description, including strengths and weaknesses of community studies using primary data; US Census; national, state, and hospital secondary data sets; and suggestions to improve these data sets as applied to Arab Americans. Chapter 13: Mortality (Abdulrahman El-Sayed): This chapter looks at Arab American mortality rates in comparison to other groups; strengths and limitations of these studies; and guidance for future research. Chapter 14: Chronic health conditions and their risk factors (including environment) (Nadia Abuelezam) This chapter will summarize top five chronic conditions among Arab Americans and review prevalence, common risk factors, prevention and interventions as well as identify strengths and challenges of relevant research. Chapter 15: Health Behaviors (Arfken, Aroian and Pinelli) This chapter will summarize top ten health behaviors among Arab Americans and review prevalence, common risk factors, prevention and interventions, and implications for future research. Chapter 16: Stress and health (Germine Awad or Sawsan Abdulrahim) This chapter will summarize studies focused on stress among Arab Americans and identify common stressors, their assessment, and implications for practice and research. Chapter 17: Future strategies to improve health (Dallo) This chapter will summarize the section and provide overview of strategies to improve health. Chapter 18: Xenophobia in the US and Globally: Biopsychosocial Research and Policy Implications (Dallo, Ajrouch, Nassar) This chapter is a stand-alone, concluding chapter that will draw connections across the text.