A qualitative investigation of religion, gender role beliefs, and culture in the lives of a select group of Muslim men

Psychology of men and masculinity scholars have acknowledged that understanding the gender ideology of diverse men is an issue of multicultural competency within counseling psychology that deserves attention. Muslim men in the U.S. are stereotyped as being violent and misogynistic; however, there is a lack of multicultural competence regarding the relationship between religion, culture, and gender ideology among Muslim men. Muslim men's gender ideologies have not been investigated within the men and masculinity literature, similar to men from other diverse backgrounds.

This study used Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) to investigate religion, gender role beliefs, and culture in the lives of Muslim men in the U.S. Furthermore, in order to inform culturally competent clinical interventions with Muslim men, this study aimed to address the role of Islam in the lives of Muslim men, the interaction between Islam and culture, and psychological implications of their gender ideologies.

Nine Muslim men in the mid-West between the ages of 21 and 49 participated in the study. Major influences of Islam included guidance, coping, emphasis on pro-social behaviors, and prioritizing of family. Participants had traditional and non-traditional gender ideologies that are multidimensional, complex, and have both positive and negative implications for their psychological well-being. Finally, findings highlight the complex interaction between Islam and culture.