Mental Health Issues and Coping Strategies in Religious Minority: A Study of Muslim Students in Higher Education

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the mental health of the Muslim students enrolled in the central universities of Delhi, develop an understanding about the stressors and coping strategies adopted by them, and identify the mechanism present in the central universities to address mental health issues. The results reveal that stress was experienced by 47.8% of the participants out of which 27.8% experienced mild level of stress, 10 % had moderate stress, and 10% had severe stress. 76.7% suffered from anxiety where 8.9% participants had mild anxiety, 27.8% had moderate anxiety, 20% had severe anxiety, and 20% had extremely severe anxiety. Depression was experienced by 64.4% of the total sample where 26.7% reported mild depression, 26.7% reported moderate depression, 6.7% reported severe depression, and 4.4% reported extremely severe depression. The analysis highlights the significant impact of religious discrimination, identity-based bullying, and cultural insensitivity on the mental health of minority students. The experiences of exclusion, stereotyping, and fear of violence contribute to heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, hindering these students to feel secure or welcomed in academic settings. To tackle these challenges, it is crucial to guarantee the accessibility of mental health services while fostering an atmosphere that integrates and respects religious diversity.