Deck 10: Individuals and Families of Arab Descent

Question 1

__________ is NOT a member of the League of Arab States.

A) Jordan
B) Afghanistan
C) Morocco
D) Djibouti

Answer 1

Afghanistan

Question 2

The earliest Arab immigrants to the United States were

A) well-educated and Christian.
B) well-educated and Muslim.
C) poorly-educated and Christian.
D) poorly-educated and Muslim.

Answer 2

poorly-educated and Christian.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT among the Five Pillars of Islam?

A) Donation of income to the mosque.
B) Fasting during the month of Ramadan.
C) Bowing and praying five times a day.
D) Males as protectors of the household, females in domestic roles.

Answer 3

Males as protectors of the household, females in domestic roles.

Question 4

Some important cultural characteristics of Arabs include each of the following EXCEPT

A) strong tendency toward religiosity.
B) dedication to family.
C) advocates for education.
D) non-verbal communication often used to emphasize verbal messages.

Question 5

Arab Americans can be identified by

A) a habit of wearing veils or turbans.
B) dark hair/eyes and olive colored skin.
C) Arabic names.
D) None of the above.

Question 6

Most Arab Americans are

A) maintaining Arab cultural traditions and avoiding American traditions.
B) fully Americanized in their traditions.
C) marginalized by living in the United States and therefore adhering to neither set of cultural traditions.
D) at various positions along the range of acculturation characteristics.

Question 7

Children in collectivistic families (as Arab American families may be) are:

A) less likely to express family conflict in the teen years
B) more likely to be protected against influences perceived as corrupting
C) less likely to choose a profession or academic major without consulting with their family
D) All of the above

Question 8

Counselors working with Arab American clients should explore all of the following EXCEPT

A) their degree of acculturation to United States or Arab American customs.
B) how their families are related to the presenting problem or solution.
C) their childhood influences in detail, looking for insights into current issues.
D) any expectations or concerns they may have about the counseling process.

Question 9

A recent refugee experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder might demonstrate

A) anxiety in everyday settings.
B) medical complaints like headaches, stomach problems, difficulty sleeping.
C) depression or anger about his/her current situation.
D) All of the above.

Question 10

Providing culturally competent counseling to an Arab American client would NOT always include

A) focusing on Islam and how it functions in the client's life.
B) inquiring about community ties and involving influential others in the therapy.
C) increasing one's own knowledge, awareness, and skills with respect to the ethnic group and some common cultural characteristics.
D) reading about political and social conflicts in the Middle East.

Question 11

Major religious groups coexisting in the Arab Middle East include each of the following EXCEPT

A) Jews.
B) Christians.
C) Buddhists.
D) Muslims.

Question 12

Among Arab Americans, religious faiths include each of the following EXCEPT

A) Christian.
B) Muslim.
C) Jewish.
D) Orthodox.

Question 13

The Arab Middle East is geographically located in

A) Subsaharan Africa and Asia.
B) Asia.
C) Asia and Eastern Europe.
D) Asia and Northern Africa.

Question 14

Typical reasons for immigration among the various waves of Arab American immigrants include each of the following EXCEPT

A) economic opportunity.
B) religious persecution.
C) political tensions in the homeland.
D) United States cultural values.

Question 15

Largest groups of Arab Americans include each of the following EXCEPT

A) Lebanese.
B) Sudanese.
C) Egyptians.
D) Syrians.

Question 16

Current issues for Arab Americans include each of the following EXCEPT

A) civil liberties.
B) hate crimes.
C) refugee issues.
D) poverty.

Question 17

__________ is NOT a tenet of Islam.

A) Salat
B) Sawm
C) Shalom
D) Zakah

Question 18

According to Islam, Muslim women are currently prohibited from

A) obtaining education.
B) owning property.
C) making decisions about marriage or divorce.
D) None of the above.

Question 19

When counseling Arab Americans, it is important to consider clients' extended kinship network, which may include each of the following EXCEPT

A) imams.
B) extended family.
C) community leaders.
D) school teachers.

Question 20

Arab Americans tend to be well represented in all sectors of professional life EXCEPT

A) teaching.
B) entrepreneurship.
C) business.
D) government.

Question 21

__________ is/are NOT among the key mental health issues for Arab Americans.

A) Immigration and acculturation
B) Ethnic identity development
C) Oppression
D) Suicide

Question 22

__________ is NOT among typical acculturative stressors for Arab Americans.

A) Language acquisition
B) Professional and educational transferability
C) Networking within Arab American communities
D) Learning new cultural customs

Question 23

Arab Americans may typically present with all of the following issues in counseling EXCEPT

A) depression or anxiety.
B) digestive issues.
C) sleep issues.
D) various physical disorders.

Question 24

Important considerations in counseling Arab American clients are likely to include each of the following EXCEPT

A) refraining from imposing Western cultural values.
B) engaging family and community members if possible.
C) engaging clients in developing client's self awareness and insight.
D) understanding and identifying the nature of cultural stigmas.

Question 25

In counseling Arab American clients, the ideal counseling dyad includes

A) an Arab American counselor.
B) a non-Arab American counselor.
C) a counselor who periodically reviews confidentiality and other aspects of the counseling relationship.
D) a counselor who serves as the authority figure and resolves the clients issues.

Question 26

The second wave of Arab immigrants arrived in the U.S. after WWII due to political tension. This wave was called the _____ because those who left were formally educated Muslims with the means to escape.

A) American Dream
B) Brain Drain
C) Refugees
D) None of the above

Question 27

Which of the following is true regarding Arab Americans' collective worldview?

A) Arab Americans see themselves as part of an extended family and community structure.
B) Help is sought from other members of the group.
C) Interdependence is valued as a sign of dedication.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 28

The Arab social structure is

A) patrilineal.
B) matriarchal.
C) democratic.
D) authoritative.

Question 29

The majority of Arabs in the Middle East are ______, but the largest religious group within Arab Americans is _______.

A) Christian; Muslim.
B) Muslim; Catholic.
C) Muslim; Protestant.
D) Muslim; Jewish.

Question 30

The Pillar of Islam that involves the formal practice of worshiping by bowing toward Mecca five times daily and praying is known as ______.

A) Shahadah.
B) Sawm.
C) Salat.
D) Zakah.

Question 31

_____ is the Pillar of Islam regarding the month long fast observed during Ramadan.

A) Hajj
B) Shahadah
C) Sawm
D) Zakah

Question 32

For prayer and other activities in traditional Arab Muslim households,

A) men and women worship together.
B) only the women pray five times daily.
C) the genders are separated.
D) only the men pray five times daily.

Question 33

For Muslims, the religious leader is known as the _____.

A) Rabbi.
B) Imam.
C) Reverend.
D) None of the above.

Question 34

____ of Arab Americans have a high school diploma and over ____ have a bachelor degree.

A) 50%; 25%
B) 95%; 80%
C) 20%; 30%
D) 85%; 40%

Question 35

A career-related issue that an Arab American client may present in counseling is

A) workplace discrimination.
B) the impact of immigration on work.
C) the impact of cultural adjustment on work.
D) All of the above are possible career-related issues.

Question 36

The overall rate of employment and mean household income among Arab Americans is

A) very low.
B) low.
C) moderate.
D) high.

Question 37

Regarding communication styles, Arab Americans clients may

A) use nonverbal gestures to express emotion and respect.
B) display discomfort with touching.
C) maintain far proximity even with people they are familiar with.
D) use a low volume and tone of voice when speaking.

Question 38

If the counselor is seen as an authority figure, the client may expect the counselor to

A) help the client find insight.
B) provide concrete solutions to problems.
C) use open-ended questions to fully explore issues.
D) All of the above.

Question 39

A factor that might influence the ease or difficulty of an Arab American's adjustment process is

A) their country of origin.
B) their reason for coming to the U.S.
C) their proximity to an Arab American enclave.
D) All of the above.

Question 40

Which of the following is true regarding the practice of veiling?

A) Muslim women who agree to wear veils may consider it a sign of their religious devotion and cultural pride.
B) Some Muslim women have an ambivalent view, in which they accept the practice at certain times and reject it at others.
C) Some women indicate that they can develop their minds and opinions when attention is taken away from their physical selves.
D) All of the above are true regarding the practice of veiling.

Question 41

All of the following are examples of acculturative stress for Arab Americans EXCEPT

A) learning a new language and cultural customs.
B) living in close proximity to an Arab American enclave.
C) transferring former levels of education and employment credentials.
D) navigating a new social structure.

Question 42

Western counseling approaches (i.e., insight-based strategies) may be beneficial for Arab Americans who are

A) less acculturated.
B) more acculturated.
C) Both of the above.
D) None of the above.

Question 43

______ counseling approaches may be useful for Arab American clients because these approaches allow clients to tell their story and be heard, understood, and validated.

A) Psychodynamic
B) Gestalt
C) Constructivist
D) Cognitive-behavioral

Question 44

How do the stereotypes of Arabs that exist in U.S. culture prevent us from discovering the reality of Arab Americans and their lives?

Question 45

What are some of the current dynamics that might make it challenging to build a healthy Arab American ethnic identity?

Question 46

Explain the religious demographics of the Arab American community in the United States in terms of the waves of immigration history (e.g., why are the majority of Arab Americans non-Muslim if the majority of the Arab Middle East is Muslim)?

Question 47

Describe some of the cultural values of Arab American individuals and communities and how they manifest (e.g., through lifestyle, community involvement, etc.) in contemporary U.S. society.

Question 48

List and describe some of the issues around the practice of veiling, or wearing hijab, among Arab American women.

Question 49

What are some of the possible mental health issues that Arab American clients might present in counseling? How might level of acculturation play a role in either the presenting issues, the appropriate interventions, or both?

Question 50

What are some ways in which to engage family or community members in providing counseling services or treatment for an Arab American individual?

Question 51

What approaches to counseling Arab American clients might you consider within your own setting (e.g., school, college, community)?

Question 52

Brainstorm a list of stereotypes about Arab Americans and discuss their origins.

Question 53

Discuss some acculturative stressors that Arab Americans may face.

Question 54

Why might biculturalism be challenging for Arab Americans to develop?

Question 55

In terms of communication styles, what characteristics are important for counselors to be aware of when working with Arab American clients?

Question 56

Describe a few main aspects of the collectivist Arab American culture (e.g., social structure, values).