Risk and Protective Factors for Well-being and Barriers to Help-Seeking Among Arab-Speaking MENA Immigrants and Refugees in North America: A Scoping Review

A study conducts a review of risk and protective factors for well-being and barriers to help-seeking among Arab-speaking MENA immigrants and refugees (IRs) in North America. Guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s Scoping Studies Methodological Framework, we use the Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework recommended by Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) for scoping reviews to establish eligibility criteria selecting for original peer-reviewed articles published in English between 1999 and 2022. The search utilizes five databases: PubMed, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, Academic Search Complete, and Family Studies Abstracts. A total of 47 sources were selected based on the study criteria. Common themes are extracted which generate the identification of key risk and protective factors for well-being and barriers to help-seeking among the target population. The risk factors identified are acculturative stress, prevalence and impact of domestic violence, migration trauma, and intergenerational conflict. Protective factors identified are social support, ethnic and religious identity, and supportive parental and school experiences. Barriers to help-seeking include sociocultural, organizational, legal, and economic factors. Implications for future research and practice with Arab-speaking MENA IRs in North America are discussed.