Research in the area of culture and mental illness suggests that cultural and religious beliefs can influence attitudes toward mental illness. Little research exists on Muslims’ conceptions of mental illness and the potential influence of their religious and cultural norms on individual attitudes. This study explores Muslim Americans’ conceptions of mental illness, specifically the definitions and causes of mental illness, attitudes toward treatment, and their help-seeking preferences. In addition, the study examines the relationship of religious commitment and acculturation to conceptions of mental illness and treatment attitudes.

Muslim Americans (118 males and 136 females), between the ages of 18 and 98, returned an anonymous questionnaire consisting of demographic questions and three measures developed by the researcher. The instrument was distributed over a three-month period through the internet, by mail, and by hand.

Results demonstrated moderate to high levels of religious commitment, though no strong relationship was found between religious commitment and Muslim Americans’ attitudes toward mental illness or its treatment. The acculturation scale showed high levels of Islamic identity and low levels of conformity to American social norms in the majority of participants. Participants agreed with a mixture of contemporary Western and traditional Islamic conceptions of mental illness, and agreed with the effectiveness of most contemporary Western and Islamic modes of treatment. They expressed comfort seeking help from mental health professionals, but were likely to seek help from family and close friends first. Open-ended responses reflected Muslim Americans’ divergent views of how mental illness is understood and interpreted. Personal experiences with mental illness and mental health professionals resulted in both positive and negative outcomes, and influenced attitudes toward psychological services.

Most Muslim Americans were like other populations in their acceptance of contemporary Western outlooks on mental illness, though noticeable differences exist that are important for service providers to understand. Findings provide insight into the psychological, religious, and cultural issues pertinent to Muslim Americans’ conceptualizations of mental illness. The study includes recommendations to facilitate the development of programs that promote the utilization of mental health services by Muslim Americans and increase the cultural competence of mental health professionals.