Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Theology

Program Name/Specialization

Spiritual Care and Counselling

Faculty/School

Martin Luther University College

First Advisor

Kristine Lund

Advisor Role

PhD supervisor

Abstract

Migration to a new culture and adaptation to a different lifestyle may cause emotional and psychological stress. In some cases, immigrants may experience religious and/or spiritual (R/S) struggles due to challenges to their beliefs and practices in the country they have immigrated to. Based on Pargament (2007, 2013)’s R/S struggle framework, these struggles may include questions about the ultimate meaning of life, one’s relationship with God, or doubt about one’s belonging within a religious or spiritual community. Muslim immigrants face unique struggles since Islamic teachings require Muslims to visibly practice their faith and reflect on God’s presence as a central element of daily life. While existing studies on R/S struggles focus on various faith populations, there is minimal research on Muslims within the Canadian context.

This Ph.D. dissertation aims to fill this gap in the literature by paying particular attention to Muslim immigrants’ lived experiences as they navigate struggles related to their religious and spiritual beliefs and practices. Experiences of Muslim immigrants, who are self-identified as suffering from R/S struggles, were studied utilizing a qualitative research methodology. For this purpose, twelve first or second-generation Muslim immigrants with R/S struggles were interviewed to obtain detailed data on their collective experiences. The data were analyzed using a thematic coding approach to explore the nature and types of R/S struggles observed among Muslim immigrants, the dynamics and factors affecting their struggle experiences, and the interplay between these struggles and Muslim immigrants’ religious/social standing and their mental well-being.

This thesis research helps better understand and categorize the R/S struggles experienced by Muslim immigrants through specific examples. Based on a qualitative analysis of interview data, the thesis proposes extending the R/S struggle categorization framework of Pargament and his colleagues into a more detailed form. In addition, this thesis research provides several insights enabling mental health practitioners to meet the needs of their Muslim immigrant clients more appropriately. For example, all participants mentioned interpersonal, intrapersonal, and supernatural aspects of their religious and spiritual experiences, which somehow affect their mental health and connection with the divine and spiritual communities. However, a detailed review of the interview results shows that while most participants believe that, in general, their religion and beliefs somehow affect their mental health, some of them could not identify or discuss the direct/specific challenges and conflicts posed by mental health issues related to their religious beliefs. These results emphasize the need to increase awareness of Muslim immigrants on the relationship between their mental health issues and religious beliefs, and the importance of practicing critical self-reflection, and that of the mental health practitioners on the multifaceted and unique R/S struggles Muslim immigrants face. The interviews also highlight the potential connections between particular R/S struggle subcategories and cohort characteristics, hinting at which client groups may experience particular R/S struggle types more commonly.

Convocation Year

2026

Convocation Season

Fall

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