Illuminating the voices of forgotten youth: A photovoice analysis of the mental health experiences of Muslim siblings of children with disabilities
- 1Department of Political Studies, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada
- 2Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration, 101 - 111 Waterloo St., London, Ontario, N6B 2M4, Canada
- 3School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa, 120 University Private, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada; Corresponding author.
Abstract
Background: Existing research on siblings of children with disabilities has predominantly concentrated on settled families residing within tier-one metropolitan areas, while pandemic-focused migration literature has primarily centred on parent cohorts. Consequently, little is known about how newcomer youth with disabled siblings experienced pandemic disruptions, particularly in mid-sized Canadian cities where specialized care infrastructure is often constrained. Objective: This study examines the psychological and mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and its corresponding public health restrictions on Muslim immigrant youth who are siblings of children with disabilities in a mid-sized Ontario city. The analysis focuses on family relationship dynamics and informal coping strategies. Methods: In partnership with a local settlement organization, this community-engaged study used a modified photovoice design. Seventeen participants generated photographs and completed individual photo-elicitation interviews (predominantly in Arabic). Data were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. Findings: The sample consisted of seventeen youth aged 16–24 (9 males, 8 females) from Syria (n = 10), Iraq (n = 6), and Egypt (n = 1). Textual and photo analysis revealed five central themes: 1) mental health under COVID-19 confinement: distress, withdrawal, and reflexive growth; 2) family as care infrastructure: heightened responsibility and evolving relationships; 3) exacerbating factors: pandemic governance, migration, and educational disruption; 4) protective conditions: faith, community, and daily coping practices; and 5) structural barriers, service landscapes, and culturally imagined alternatives. Study implications: Findings highlight a downward redistribution of care. There is an urgent need for culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and faith-integrated mental health services, community mentorship networks, and targeted educational, linguistic, and credentialing supports for newcomer families to address systemic inequities.
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BibTeX
@article{sethi2026illuminating,
title = {{Illuminating the voices of forgotten youth: A photovoice analysis of the mental health experiences of Muslim siblings of children with disabilities}},
author = {Bharati Sethi and Abir Al Jamal and Loretta Baidoo},
journal = {SSM: Qualitative Research in Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.ssmqr.2026.100896},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2026.100896},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Illuminating the voices of forgotten youth: A photovoice analysis of the mental health experiences of Muslim siblings of children with disabilities
AU - Bharati Sethi
AU - Abir Al Jamal
AU - Loretta Baidoo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/31
JO - SSM: Qualitative Research in Health
DO - 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2026.100896
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2026.100896
AB - Background: Existing research on siblings of children with disabilities has predominantly concentrated on settled families residing within tier-one metropolitan areas, while pandemic-focused migration literature has primarily centred on parent cohorts. Consequently, little is known about how newcomer youth with disabled siblings experienced pandemic disruptions, particularly in mid-sized Canadian cities where specialized care infrastructure is often constrained. Objective: This study examines the psychological and mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and its corresponding public health restrictions on Muslim immigrant youth who are siblings of children with disabilities in a mid-sized Ontario city. The analysis focuses on family relationship dynamics and informal coping strategies. Methods: In partnership with a local settlement organization, this community-engaged study used a modified photovoice design. Seventeen participants generated photographs and completed individual photo-elicitation interviews (predominantly in Arabic). Data were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. Findings: The sample consisted of seventeen youth aged 16–24 (9 males, 8 females) from Syria (n = 10), Iraq (n = 6), and Egypt (n = 1). Textual and photo analysis revealed five central themes: 1) mental health under COVID-19 confinement: distress, withdrawal, and reflexive growth; 2) family as care infrastructure: heightened responsibility and evolving relationships; 3) exacerbating factors: pandemic governance, migration, and educational disruption; 4) protective conditions: faith, community, and daily coping practices; and 5) structural barriers, service landscapes, and culturally imagined alternatives. Study implications: Findings highlight a downward redistribution of care. There is an urgent need for culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and faith-integrated mental health services, community mentorship networks, and targeted educational, linguistic, and credentialing supports for newcomer families to address systemic inequities.
SN - 2667-3215
ER -