An investigation of the psychological distress of Muslim migrants in Australia

Abstract

The present study investigates the psychological distress of Muslims migrants in Brisbane, Australia. Literature indicates that a range of demographic and psychosocial factors are related to the psychological distress of the migrants. Two hundred and eighty Muslims were asked to complete a variety of questionnaires in either English or Arabic language. A series of analyses of variances indicated that participants' psychological distress was affected by their marital and visa status. Further, hierarchical regression indicated that psychological distress of the participants was predicted by their perceived difficulties with the English language, lack of social support, and tendency to use emotional and avoidance coping. It is expected that the study's findings will assist mental health workers, working in a multicultural settings, to understand and treat the mental health issues of Muslim migrants in Australia.