Resilience in Arab American couples after September 11, 2001: a systems perspective.
Guided by a family resiliency model grounded in systems theory and social constructionism, we conducted in-depth interviews to explore how 18 Arab American couples living in New York and New Jersey perceived and dealt with the terrorist attacks and aftereffects of September 11, 2001. Results are organized around five themes: Making sense of the attacks; the social environment after September 11, 2001; construction of identity: Arab and/or American; how couples cope: reactions and resources; and immigration and acculturation. Clinical recommendations include helping couples to uncover and to explore conflicts in both Arab and American identities, using genograms to deal with family-of-origin histories, recognizing specific couple dynamics linked to traditional gender roles, helping couples connect to religious and cultural communities, and assessing acculturation.
Beitin
Ben K
BK
Professional Psychology and Family Therapy, Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey 07079, USA. beitinbe@shu.edu
Allen
Katherine R
KR
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008388:Marital Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D008877:Middle East / Q000208:ethnology; D009519:New York City; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks; D012933:Social Identification; D013598:Systems Theory; D014768:Virginia