Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Brandon J. Cosley

Abstract

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study with moderation was to examine the

differing moderating roles of centrality and in-group superiority in the relationship

between perceived Islamophobia and psychological distress. Perceived Islamophobia,

group centrality, in-group superiority, and psychological distress were measured using

Perceived Islamophobia Scale, the shorter version of the Identity Centrality Scale ,

Perceived In-Group Superiority Scale , and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. In this

study, a convenience sample (N = 113) of Muslim males and females above 18 years old

was used. An online survey tool, SurveyMonkey, was used to collect data from Muslim

immigrants living in Calgary, Canada. The analytical strategy was to conduct 2 separate

hierarchical moderated regression analyses (1 for identity centrality and 1 for in-group

superiority) to examine the moderating role group identity. Social identity theory

provided the theoretical foundation to answer the question of how perceived

Islamophobia impacts the psychological distress of Muslim immigrants in Canada. The

findings indicated that perceived Islamophobia significantly predicts psychological

distress among Muslim immigrants in Canada, and identity centrality significantly

moderates the relationship between perceived Islamophobia and psychological distress by

buffering against the negative effects of percieved group discrimination. However, in

group superiority was not a significant moderator in the relationship between perceived

Islamophobia and psychological distress.The findings will be beneficial for the

practitioners and policy makers to devise better intervention strategies for the wll-being

of muslim immigrants in Canda to bring a positive social change in society.

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