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The Impact of 9/11 and the War on Terror on Arab and Muslim Children and Families

  • Disaster Psychiatry: Trauma, PTSD, and Related Disorders (MJ Friedman, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

There is a growing body of work that documents the impact of 9/11 and the war on terror on Arab and Muslim children and families. This review is designed to provide a brief overview and suggest new ways to better understand this understudied population.

Recent Findings

Several studies show anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiments at its highest levels since 9/11. There is strong evidence that Arab and Muslim children and families experience some of the highest levels of discrimination, and as a result, they report higher levels of mental health symptoms.

Summary

Given the limited data, we need future studies (a) to focus on populations outside of the USA and Europe; (b) to use longitudinal designs; (c) to pay attention to within group variations by race, gender, social class, and immigration status; and (d) to use culturally validated instruments.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Psychology, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, 246 Greene Street, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    Selcuk R. Sirin, Elysia Choi & Canan Tugberk

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  1. Selcuk R. Sirin
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  2. Elysia Choi
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Correspondence to Selcuk R. Sirin.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Disaster Psychiatry: Trauma, PTSD, and Related Disorder

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Sirin, S.R., Choi, E. & Tugberk, C. The Impact of 9/11 and the War on Terror on Arab and Muslim Children and Families. Curr Psychiatry Rep 23, 47 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-021-01264-6

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