ABSTRACT ASHRAF, ANJABEEN. Vicarious Trauma and American Muslims: A Mixed Methods Study. (Under the direction of Sylvia Nassar-McMillan). The purpose of the study was to explore vicarious trauma (VT) in American Muslims. The study utilized an explanatory concurrent mixed methods design that involved collecting quantitative data and qualitative data at the same time. For the quantitative portion of the study, the instruments were used to collect data from Muslims in the United States to measure the occurrence of vicarious trauma and religious identity. For the qualitative portion, participants were asked to respond to a series of questions to gain greater insight into their experiences. The research questions guiding this study focused on exploring the effect of religious identity and demographic variables on VT, exploring the lived experiences of American Muslims, and using both data sets together to deepen understanding. A MANOVA was conducted to explore the relationships between VT and all other variables. Religious identity and ethnicity were found to be significant in the MANOVA model and collectively explained 21% of the variance in VT scores. Follow up discriminant function analyses revealed that the self-safety, self-esteem, and other-esteem subscales were the best predictors for religious identity and the other-trust, self-esteem, and other-esteem subscales were the best predictors of ethnicity. The first function for religious identity explained 70.5% of the variance. For ethnicity, the first function explained 60.4% of the variance. The quantitative data were used to select qualitative responses based on vicarious trauma levels and religious identity. Qualitative analysis revealed nine themes: exposure, emotions, personal responsibility, identity, humanity, media, long term perspective, coping techniques, and cognitive processing. The results of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of VT, specifically within American Muslims. Implications and recommendations for research, policy, advocacy, and practitioners are provided. © Copyright 2015 by Anjabeen Ashraf All Rights Reserved Vicarious Trauma and American Muslims: A Mixed Methods Study by Anjabeen Ashraf A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Counseling & Counselor Education Raleigh, North Carolina 2015 APPROVED BY: ______________________________ ___________________________ Sylvia Nassar-McMillan, PhD Stanley Baker, PhD Committee Chair ______________________________ ___________________________ Marc Grimmett, PhD Jessica Decuir-Gunby, PhD ii DEDICATION “I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being” – Hafiz To all the powerful women in the world who dream of the thing we often take for granted: an education. iii BIOGRAPHY Anjabeen Ashraf was born in Karachi, Pakistan. After emigrating to the United States at the age of three, she spent her joyous childhood years on the East Coast, primarily in Connecticut. Although she adored bundling up like the Michelin man for those winters, her parents were not amused and so moved the young family to Houston, TX. This is where Anjabeen remained for her adolescence and early adult years. After deciding to pursue her PhD she moved to Raleigh, NC to do so. In addition to being reunited with the East Coast and four seasons, Anjabeen credits her time in North Carolina with tremendous growth personally, professionally, and spiritually. Refining her beliefs and activism, Anjabeen became involved in numerous advocacy and activism efforts, including Amnesty International, WomenNC (through which she attended a conference at the United Nations), and helped to found Muslims for Social Justice. She also became involved with numerous counseling organizations, including Chi Sigma Iota, the North Carolina Counseling Association, and the Southern Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors. She served in leadership roles within many of these organizations. All good things must evolve and so she fell in love and moved, for a boy. In reality, both man and woman moved to South Florida to be together and experience more good things. Thus this new chapter of her adventure began and continues. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In acknowledging the end of this part of my journey, there are numerous individuals I must thank. First and foremost, I am humbled by the opportunities that have been given to me by Allah. Thank you for dreaming bigger things for me than I dared ever dream. For not giving up on my hopes even when I had. To my tribe, thank you for the support and love that have carried me through. Thank you for helping me realize my truest potential. The laughs, tears, and great food we have shared shall continue on as we become old friends (not that kind of old). Syntia, thank you for being my sister from another mister. Lynn, thank you for always listening without judgment. Jill, thanks for motivating me when I needed it. Robert H, Robert M, Nick H., thank you for motivating me to git.er.done. For everyone who has read pieces of this study, thank you for providing me with guidance. All those who have sent messages or calls of support for this research and process, your outreach was received with gratitude. Special thanks to those who have emphasized the road less traveled and the pursuit of a higher purpose more than the dictates of society’s frivolity. Anjabeen the feminist is thankful. To my committee, Drs. Nassar-McMillan, Baker, Decuir-Gunby, and Grimmett, thank you for being in my corner and helping me to execute a meaningful study. Your work has inspired me since the day I chose to enroll in this program. Your professional support has meant a lot and I have cherished the work we have done together as mentors, colleagues, and friends. Thank you to my family. My parents who worked and strived for their children. Thank you, Ammi, for making me the strong woman I am today; although I am not sure you knew that you were leading by example with your courage and gumption. Thank you to my Abu for v always making me laugh and loving me unconditionally and for letting me continue to call you Abu even after Aladdin’s sidekick debuted. To my baby brother MoMo, thank you for always being a reminder of love, light, and the Ashraf dancing gene. To Rizwana, thank you for being a go-getter. To my new family, the Khans, thank you for accepting me with love and open arms. You have made me feel a part of the family in such little time. Your humility and kindness teach me lessons every day. To Dr. Muhammad Zakir Khan, J.D., Esq. Your love and unconditional support have helped me through this process. Thank you for believing in me and my research from the early days of our relationship. Thank you for building a life with me that is focused on experiences, gratitude, and justice. This would not have been possible without the use of your desktop. Thank you. Most of all, thank you for being you. May the Ashraf Khan/Khan Ashraf household always be filled with laughter and PBCT. To my global family of humanity, I hope that I have made you proud. I often say that I am a global citizen and I realize I am able to say that because I have privilege. To those who are fighting for their lives, freedom, and identity, I hope you know that you are not alone. Your courage sustains me. This is for you all. In solidarity. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................ x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................................ 2 Rationale for the Study .................................................................................................................... 5 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................................ 6 Personal Rationale for Conducting this Research ......................................................................... 7 Research Questions .......................................................................................................................... 8 Mixed Methods Research Question ............................................................................................ 8 Quantitative Research Questions ................................................................................................ 8 Qualitative Research Question .................................................................................................... 8 Definition of Terms .......................................................................................................................... 9 Vicarious Trauma ......................................................................................................................... 9 American Muslim. ...................................................................................................................... 10 Overview and Organization of the Study ..................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................... 12 Introduction and Overview ..........................................................................................................