Effat University Repository

Effat University Institutional Repository

Welcome to the Effat University Repository, a service of Effat Library and Cultural Museum. This repository provides global and open access to scholarship and research output created by Effat University faculty, graduate and undergraduate students.
While the University Repository is accessible to the public, submission is limited to  Effat University community.
 

If you have any questions, please email us at repository@effatuniversity.edu.sa

Recent Submissions

  • PublicationMetadata only
    Association between Muslim population, legal status, political system, geography, income category, human development index, and suicide rates in Asian countries: An ecological analysis
    (Elsevier, 2026-01-02) Arafat, S.M. Yasir; Marthoenis, Marthoenis; Amin, Rizwana; Lester, David; Nafia Farzana Chowdhury; Rezaeian, Mohsen; 0; Psychology; Arafat, S. M. Yasir; Advanced Psychological Research and Teaching Lab; 0; External Collaboration; 0
    Understanding the association between national-level indicators and suicide rates is important for informing prevention strategies, particularly in Asia, where cultural and legal contexts differ substantially. This ecological study analyzed publicly available data from 41 Asian countries. Variables included suicide rates, the human development index, income group, major religion, political system, percentage of Muslim population, and the legal status of suicide. Major religion and the percentage of Muslims were associated with total suicide rates, with lower rates observed in Islamic-majority countries. The political system was associated only with female suicide rates. No significant associations were observed between suicide rates and WHO region, income group, or HDI scores/categories. The legal status of suicide showed consistent associations across all groups, with higher suicide rates in countries where suicide was not criminalized. These findings highlight the role of sociopolitical and cultural contexts in shaping suicide epidemiology.
  • PublicationMetadata only
    Secondary traumatic stress among mental health professionals working with war refugees in Pakistan: A qualitative exploration of lived experiences
    (Elsevier, 2026-03) Butt, Momina Khalid; Amin, Rizwana; Grigutytė, Neringa; Eimontas, Jonas; 0; Psychology; Butt, Momina Khalid; Advanced Psychological Research and Teaching Lab; 0; External Collaboration; 0
    Introduction Mental health professionals (MHPs) working with war-affected refugees are highly susceptible to Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) an occupational hazard that mirrors post-traumatic reactions due to prolonged empathic engagement with trauma survivors. In Pakistan’s humanitarian context, this vulnerability is heightened by inadequate supervision, limited trauma-informed training, and persistent sociocultural stigma surrounding mental illness. This study explored the lived experiences of Pakistani MHPs exhibiting high levels of STS while providing psychological care to war-affected refugees. Methods A qualitative design grounded in reflexive thematic analysis was employed. Six clinicians actively engaged in refugee mental-health services participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed inductively and reflexively to capture the emotional, moral, and systemic dimensions of STS within the Pakistani clinical and cultural context. Results Six overarching themes were identified: (1) immersion in humanitarian duty; (2) emotional saturation and empathic strain; (3) blurred boundaries between self and client; (4) professional isolation within unsupportive systems; (5) coping strategies and sources of resilience; and (6) transformation through suffering. Participants described moral over-responsibility, emotional exhaustion, and organizational neglect, yet also reported meaning-making, spiritual coping, and professional growth as pathways to resilience. Conclusions STS among MHPs in Pakistan reflects a multifaceted interplay between emotional, cultural, and institutional factors. The findings underscore the need for culturally attuned supervision, trauma-informed training, and systemic organizational support to protect clinician well-being and sustain ethical, effective humanitarian mental-health practice. This study contributes to a broader cross-cultural understanding of STS by situating clinicians’ experiences within their moral, cultural, and institutional contexts.
  • PublicationMetadata only
    Development and Multinational Validation of the War-related Media Exposure Scale (WarMES).
    (2025-08-07) Fekih-Romdhane, Feten; Helmy, Mai; Alhuwailah, Amthal; Shuwiekh, Hanaa Ahmed Mohamed; Maalej, Emna; Naser, Abdallah Y; Obeid, Sahar; Cheour, Majda; Hallit, Souheil; 0; Psychology; Fekih-Romdhane, Feten; NA; 0; External Collaboration; 0
    Millions of people witnessing early, repeated media coverage of wars are at heightened risk of developing mental health conditions. However, most literature available on the field is based on measures with unverified psychometric qualities. This study aimed to design and validate a new self-report scale to measure the extent of exposure to media content related to war, the War-related Media Exposure Scale (WarMES).
  • PublicationMetadata only
    Sustainable Development Goals and Mental Health in Pakistan
    (Springer Nature) Amin, Rizwana; Psychology
    This chapter examines the relationship between mental health and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Pakistan’s healthcare and sociopolitical setting. Although many of the SDGs do not specifically address mental health except health and well-being (SDG 3), it critically analyzes how mental health issues are intricately linked to targets related to poverty (SDG 1), zero hunger (SDG2), quality education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), innovation and technology development (SDG 9), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), climate change (SDG 13), peace and justice (SDG 16). Inadequate infrastructure, social stigma, a lack of trained specialists, and restricted access to services are some of the mental health issues Pakistan faces, which hinder the country’s efforts to meet the SDGs. However, there are some particular initiatives such as chaman pilot project, Rozan’s Zeest as well as Humraaz can be implemented at macro level to bridge the gap in field. Moreover, legislation about mental health needs to be realized in Pakistan to promote well-being.
  • PublicationMetadata only
    Behavioral outcomes in Pakistani children and adolescents of mentally ill parents: the role of parental rejection and home environment in externalizing and internalizing behavioral problems
    (Springer Nature, 2026-02-07) Khawar, Rabia; Hussain, Samavia; Aslam, Memoona; Ahmad Dogar, Prof. Dr Imtiaz; Kareem, Owais; Shahid, Sana; Butt, Ammara; Ahmad, Hira; Akram, Bushra; Amin, Rizwana; 0; Psychology; Khawar , Rabia; Advanced Psychological Research and Teaching Lab; 0; External Collaboration; 0
    Background Children of parents with mental illness (COPMI) experience a range of emotional behavioral problems throughout their development, mainly due to family and environmental factors. Therefore, the current study investigated the role of parental acceptance/rejection and chaotic home environment in developing externalizing and internalizing behavioral problems among Pakistani children and adolescents affected by parental mental illness. Methods The study followed a cross-sectional research design. A purposive sample of 300 children and adolescents (51.3% girls; Mage =14.31; SDage = 2.23), whose parents were diagnosed with mental illness (mainly major depressive disorder, 53.3%) at psychiatric care units of the public sector hospitals of Punjab, Pakistan, collected during May 2024 to December 2024. After providing consent, the participants completed the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire, Confusion Hubbub and Order Scale, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, along with a demographic information sheet. We also obtained a sample of 300 children and adolescents whose parents had no reported mental illness from public and private sector schools in Punjab for the sake of comparison. Data were collected from March 2024 to June 2024. Results Results of multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the children and adolescents of parents with mental illness who are exposed to higher levels of parental rejection (neglect, rejection & hostility) and chaotic home environments exhibit increased behavioral problems, particularly those with externalizing tendencies (conduct & hyperactivity). A significant interaction effect using two-way ANOVA across groups with and without parental mental illness (PMI) and gender reflected differences in externalizing and internalizing problems. Among children in the PMI group, boys exhibited higher levels of externalizing behavioral problems than girls, indicating that exposure to parental mental illness may have a stronger impact on boys’ outward behavioral difficulties. In contrast, within the without-PMI group, girls showed higher level of externalizing problems than boys. A similar trend was observed for internalizing behavioral problems. Boys in the PMI group displayed more internalizing symptoms than girls, whereas in the without-PMI group, girls reported higher internalizing problems than boys. This consistent pattern across both domains indicates that the presence or absence of parental mental illness may influence boys and girls differently in terms of emotional and behavioral adjustment. Conclusions These results emphasize the dire need for targeted interventions aimed at promoting emotional and behavioral stability in children and adolescents affected by PMI through family-focused support programs that address the demands of the parent-child relationship and the domestic environment in the context of parental mental illness.
Show more

Communities in Effat University Repository

Select a community to browse its collections.