Second-Generation South Asian American Muslim Mothers: Constructing Knowledge, Perspectives, and Practice of Mental Health and Well-being

Abstract

Mental health and well-being have been studied through various lenses across time and cultures. However, cultural knowledge, perspectives, and practices are limited in the current western psychology field. The present study examined how second-generation South Asian American Muslim mothers (SAAMM-2) constructed knowledge, perspectives, and practices pertaining to mental health and well-being for themselves and their children. The role of various social and ecological processes was explored in the shaping of mental health knowledge. Ten individuals from the SAAMM-2 population participated in individual semi-structured interviews. A constructivist ground theory approach was used to explore how SAAMM-2 individuals constructed knowledge and which factors influenced meaning making. Findings indicated that SAAMM-2 individuals constructed knowledge from childhood experiences, adulthood experiences, and contemporary resources. Knowledge, perspectives, and experiences were shaped by several phenomena, including immigration, the role of immigrant mothers, intergenerational trauma, cultural stigma, acculturation differences, and emotional expression. Participants integrated knowledge gained from South Asian culture, Islam, and the West. They tended to lean toward Islam to make sense of challenges impacting mental health and well-being. The findings indicated that meaning making in the South Asian American Muslim population is complex, involves multiple processes, and is a continuous process of reconstruction from knowledge and experiences passed down through generations.