By Madiha Tahseen, Sawssan Ahmed, and Sameera Ahmed.
Abstract:
American Muslim adolescents and children are increasingly experiencing bullying and discrimination from all angles and in many different kinds of ways (i.e., verbal, cyber). The pervasiveness of bullying creates an atmosphere in which Muslim adolescents may feel misunderstood and unsupported in different settings in their lives. However, Muslim youth also demonstrate resilience in the face of bullying and discrimination. Given this, it is imperative to support Muslim youth from multiple avenues to foster resilience and minimize the negative impact of bullying. To inform and educate clinicians who may encounter American Muslim patients, Drs. Madiha Tahseen, Sawssan Ahmed, and Sameera Ahmed authored a chapter in the recently released book, Islamophobia and Psychiatry. In their chapter titled, “Muslim Youth in the Face of Islamophobia: Risk and Resilience”, they (1) summarized the research findings on the bullying experiences of American Muslim adolescents, and (2) provided clinical recommendations and strategies for supporting their positive development.