OCCUPATIONAL ENGAGEMENT AND INTEGRATION AMONG EGYPTIAN COPTIC ORTHODOX IMMIGRANTS

Background: The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox (Copt) population in America has grown exponentially due to religious intolerance in Egypt. Many Copts experience feelings of helplessness because of the stark difference in American culture compared to their home culture. Occupational therapy (OT) is a profession that can impact the experience of Copts through participation in meaningful occupations. This qualitative study sought to answer the research question, “what is the current state of occupational engagement for recently immigrated Coptic immigrants?” Methods: Eighteen participants filled out the 9-question open-ended survey concerning overall perceptions about moving to America. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings: The seven overarching themes identified were consistent with the literature about the immigrant experience; participants stated their experience moving was challenging, and overwhelmingly stated that services to ease transition into American lifestyle would have been beneficial. Conclusion: Findings from this study should allow for OT practitioners (OTPs) to expand knowledge about the impact of immigration for minority groups such as Copts using evidence-based practice, and facilitate the enculturation of Copts by re-establishing daily occupational routines and engaging in education on new cultural norms associated with American culture while keeping ties to Egyptian culture

The Role of Occupational Therapy in Supporting the Enculturation and Acculturation Process for Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Immigrants

Objectives: The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox population in America has grown exponentially due to religious intolerance in Egypt. Many Copts move to the U.S. and experience feelings of helplessness because of the stark difference in American culture compared to the culture they had left behind. Occupational therapy (OT) is a profession that can impact the Copts due to the focus on gaining independence in life through participation in meaningful occupations. This qualitative study sought to answer the research question, “what is the current state of occupational engagement for recently immigrated Coptic Christian immigrants, and how can occupational therapy support immigrant populations?” Methods: Eighteen participants filled out the 9-question open-ended survey discussing overall perceptions about moving to America. The survey data was analyzed based on thematic analysis guided by Braun and Clarke (2006). Results: The seven overarching themes analyzed were consistent with the literature review conducted about the immigrant experience; participants stated that their experience moving to the US was challenging, and that connections to Egyptian culture are still strong. Participants overwhelmingly stated that services to ease transition into American lifestyle would have been beneficial. Conclusion: Findings from this study would allow for OTs to expand knowledge about the impact of immigration to the US for minority groups such as the Copts using evidence-based practice. OTs can facilitate the enculturation of the Copts by re-establishing daily occupational routines and educating them on new cultural norms.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2021/1012/thumbnail.jp