Hijab, Solo Status, Discrimination, and Distress among Muslim Women in the U.S.

Abstract

The current study examined the novel role of solo status, or being the only Muslim in different settings, in the relationship between discrimination and distress for Muslim women in the United States who wear the hijab, the Islamic headscarf, and Muslim women who do not wear the hijab. Psychological distress was examined through symptoms of anxiety, somatization, and paranoia. Results from a sample of 123 Muslim women in the United States showed that the impact of solo status was different for Muslim women who always wear the hijab compared to Muslim women who never wear the hijab. Namely, high solo status exacerbated the impact of discrimination on all psychological symptoms for Muslim women who wear the hijab. In contrast, low solo status compounded the effect of discrimination on all psychological symptoms for Muslim women who never wear the hijab. Given these findings, clinical, training, research, and advocacy implications are discussed.