The experiences of professionals and service providers working with Arab Asylum seekers and refugees in the UK

Introduction and Aims:

Mental health difficulties are common among Arab populations globally, however, most Arabs are less likely to seek professional support (Khatib, Alyafei & Shaikh, 2023). The current research has predominantly focused on client perspectives, and whilst these views are crucial, there is also a need to investigate the views of Mental Health Professionals (MHPs). The systematic literature review explored MHPs’ experiences of working therapeutically with Arab communities around the world. The aim was to explore and understand whether any barriers, facilitators or challenges exist, and what considerations are needed to optimise the mental health support for Arab communities.

Methods:

Four electronic databases and the grey literature were searched yielding 451 records. Following further manual searching and screening against the eligibility criteria, 10 qualitative studied were selected. The studies were published between 2000 and 2023, spanning eight countries including Western and non-Western countries.

Results:

Four key areas were highlighted: 1) why Arabs are hesitant to seek mental health support, 2) cultural experiences and competence, 3) systemic and service-level issues, 4) personal impact of working with Arab refugees.

Conclusions:

MHPs reported facilitators, barriers and considerations when working with Arab communities across different settings, countries, and contexts. Several clinical implications include tailoring interventions, increased training resources and cultural competence for staff, and mental health awareness for Arab communities in host countries.