Perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among Muslims in the United States

Recent research documents extensive Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslims in the United States. The current study seeks to better understand the discrimination experienced by Muslims and its mental health consequences in comparison to that experienced within a general sample of Americans. Using data from an original national survey of 700 American adults and an oversample of 300 Muslims, our analyses indicate elevated levels of perceived discrimination among Muslims (both White and non-White), relative to White non-Muslims, and comparable to that experienced by non-Muslim racial/ethnic minorities. Furthermore, Muslims report higher rates of depressive symptoms than Christians and non-religious individuals, and this mental health disparity is fully explained by Muslims' greater perceived discrimination. These findings suggest that the racialization of Muslims in the United States is a public health concern.