Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Department
Psychology
Abstract
This study explored the lived experiences of first- and second-generation Palestinian Muslim women (PMW) living in the US. Participants were 11 women between the ages of 20 and 33 from various regions across the country. The methodology included a phenomenological approach within a constructivist–interpretivist paradigm to conduct one-on-one, semistructured interviews. Participants shared their stories during online interviews, which were recorded and transcribed before data analysis. Guided by the embodied intersectionality framework and minority stress theory, the analysis yielded two superordinate themes with two subthemes each: (a) perceived discrimination (subthemes: stressors of living in the diaspora and erasure and disclosure of Palestinian identity) and (b) resilient coping (subthemes: identity processes as coping strategies and peer education and engagement in cultural practices). The themes indicated that research on the mental health and psychosocial needs of PMW should consider the inherently complex nature of their identity in the larger contexts of gender, politics, and structural discrimination as it relates to their well-being. The findings highlight the need for efforts in therapy, research, and education to support PMW in the United States through recognition of their identity and the provision of safe and accepting environments across various settings, especially in the context of the current sociopolitical climate.
Recommended Citation
Jaber, Rimah, "Before the War: The Impact of Minority Stress on Palestinian Muslim Women in the United States" (2026). Education Student Dissertations. 4.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/gse_student/4
