Election results contribute to stress, anxiety for Arab Americans

Already feeling the strains of being an ethnic and religious minority, many Arab Americans are experiencing added anxiety after the 2016 presidential elections. One FIU researcher says educators are in a unique position to help them cope with anxiety.

“In some ways a lot of people are feeling that the election result is like a crisis because the result was unexpected,” said Andy Pham, an assistant professor of school psychology in the School of Education and Human Development. “We need to understand people have their own opinions. What’s not OK, is if these opinions are hateful or intolerant of others’ views. The president-elect has created some of this intolerance but it’s still uncertain what he will actually be doing or whether his language will change.”

Earlier this year, Pham co-authored a study published in School Psychology Quarterly that found Arab American teens in particular are more likely to face anxiety and depression while trying to balance the pressures of fitting in among friends at school and staying true to their own culture and religious beliefs.

These findings predate the outcome of the election. However, when you add the uncertainties surrounding the polices Donald J. Trump might enact as president, it would likely lead to even more stress for Arab Americans, Pham said.

On the campaign trail, Trump suggested he would ban all Muslims from entering the country. Not long after he won the election, any mention of such a ban was removed from his campaign website.

According to a report from the Southern Poverty Law Center, Trump’s rhetoric throughout the campaign produced “an alarming level of fear and anxiety in children of color and inflaming racial and ethnic tensions in the classroom.”

Educators can help teens and college students who are showing signs of anger or depression, Pham said.

“Arab American students may not want to seek out assistance from teachers if they are bullied,” Pham said. “However, many are feeling anxious, despondent or discouraged. It’s up to parents, teachers, school psychologists, counselors and school staff to find out if they’re feeling this way. It’s important for students to talk about those feelings and help teach them coping skills to manage their feelings.”

Schools and universities can expose students to Muslim or Arab culture to help people understand cultures different from their own. Equally as important, schools should try to reassure students, address feelings of uncertainty and denounce bullying, Pham said.

“We should tell children that any kind of hatred or intolerance is not permitted,” he said. “It’s understandable for many to feel angry about the election results, but in order for us to move forward, we need to find shared and common goals so every person feels safe, accepted and heard.”

Resources for Educators

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Coping with Stress

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FIU students have access to free, confidential counseling. For more information, visit caps.fiu.edu.