The Imam's Role in Mental Health Promotion: A Study at 22 Mosques in New York City's Muslim Community

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, New York's Muslim communities turned to their mosques for help, but were noticeably hesitant to avail themselves of services offered by the broader community. Research has shown that few mental health professionals are familiar with the Arabic language and Islamic values. Moreover, little is known about Islamic counseling and psychotherapy, or the techniques applied by providers in the mosques to help the Islamic community cope with stressful events. This study is intended to examine the role of imams in Muslim mental health promotion and the worshippers’ attitudes toward mental health services and resources prior to 9/11 and post-9/11. A cross-sectional survey of 22 imams and 102 worshippers from 22 mosques in New York City was conducted. Our results show that, even though the majority of the 22 imams had no formal training in Western psychotherapy intervention, they nonetheless played a major role in the promotion of mental health in the wake of this national disaster. Imams, we have learned, use a multifaceted model of unstructured psychotherapy intervention based on Islamic directives and teachings. Our study finds that guidance for mental health issues among New York City's Muslim community was sought most often from imams before and after 9/11. Results of the study may help to bridge the gap between Islamic intervention and modern, Westernized psychotherapy paradigms.