The impact of islamophobia and social media on Muslim American students’ mental health in school settings in North Carolina.

Abstract

The objectives of the study are to understand the lived experiences of Muslim American students with Islamophobia in middle, high school, and university school settings, identify ways that Muslim American students cope with discrimination and/or mental health issues, and uncover the role social media might play in coping and/or experiencing discrimination among Muslim American students. We employed snowball sampling to recruit students currently enrolled in a middle school, high school, or a university (as an undergraduate) in North Carolina who self-identify as Muslim. University students must have attended middle school or high school in North Carolina to be eligible. In total, 25 participants participated in the research study. We conducted 5 focus groups (4 in-person; 1 virtual) and 14 interviews (13 virtual; 1 in-person). All virtual interviews/focus groups were held via WebEx. Two major themes emerged from the data: Islamophobia in American Culture Post-9/11 and Islamophobia in school settings. This study sheds light on the impact Islamophobia has on the lives of Muslim American students. It also highlights the impact that social media has on Muslim Americans and how it affects their school experiences. Training for school counselors and teachers would help improve Muslim American students’ experiences by creating a more inclusive and safe school environment.