ABSTRACT
Many aspects of the research process, such as recruiting study participants, obtaining informed consent, and collecting data, warrant special consideration when Arab Americans are the study population. First, a climate of Arabs being under surveillance as suspected radical Islamists and terrorists (El-Haj, 2007; Naber, 2006) generates mistrust among Arab Americans and this mistrust may make them unwilling to participate in research (Kahan & Al-Tamimi, 2009). Second, as with any research about an ethnic group, it is important to incorporate the group’s relevant cultural features so that the research process is culturally sensitive. Culturally sensitive research not only encourages study participation but also contributes to obtaining valid and meaningful study findings (Aroian, 2013).
