Abstract
This study sought to determine if differences exist in the level of anxiety and depression in Muslims from Arab and non-Arab countries living in America. Beck (1967) proposed that the essential component of a depressive disorder is a negative cognitive set; that is, the tendency to view the self, the future, and the world in a dysfunctional manner. In this study, depression was measured using Beck?s Depression Inventory. The results show that Muslims from Arab countries scored higher in depression relative to Muslims from non-Arab countries. According to Spielberger (1966, p. 41,) trait anxiety refers to relatively stable individual differences in anxiety-proneness; that is, differences between people in the tendency to perceive a stressful situation as dangerous or threatening, and to respond to such situations with elevations in the intensity of their state anxiety (S-Anxiety) reactions. This study found that Muslims from Arab and non-Arab countries differed significantly from Muslims form Arab countries for depression, state and trait anxiety. National and international circumstances and events may help account for these differences. Probable origins and possible diagnosis for depression and anxiety in Muslims who immigrated to America are discussed here.
|
