Amal Killawi
Expert
Amal Killawi is a clinical social worker, researcher, and community educator. She serves as a research fellow with the Family & Youth Institute and scholar with the Institute for Social Policy & Understanding. Amal holds a Bachelors in Psychology, Masters in Social Work, and a Certificate in Sexual Health from the University of Michigan. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Social Work at Rutgers University.
Amal has a special interest in community-based participatory research and the provision of culturally competent care. Her previous experience includes working as a counselor with college students and domestic violence survivors, conducting research on family and health challenges in the American Muslim community, and serving as an online counselor and writer.
Additional Skills: Trained in SPSS, NVivo, & Atlas TI applications; Experienced in conducting focus groups and interviews, qualitative data analysis, community outreach, and designing and delivering community education; and Proficient in Arabic, spoken and written. Certified in the following research-based programs: -PREPARE/ENRICH (marriage preparation & enrichment) -PREP (divorce prevention & marriage enhancement) -FOCCUS (marriage preparation) -SMART STEPS (adults & children in stepfamilies) Ad Hoc Reviewer: Journal of Muslim Mental Health (JMMH) & Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action (PCHP)
Education
Bachelor’s in Psychology, MSW, Certificate in Sexual Health, University of Michigan; PhD candidate, Rutgers University
Areas of Expertise
- American Muslim Health
- Cultural Competency
- Community-Based Research
- Social Work
- Mental Health
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Sexual Health
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Health Disparities
Publications
Community Brief: Promoting Healthy Marriages & Preventing Divorce in the American Muslim Community
June 24, 2014,Recommendations for Promoting Healthy Marriages & Preventing Divorce in the American Muslim Community
Full Report: Recommendations for Promoting Healthy Marriages & Preventing Divorce in the American Muslim Community
June 24, 2014,As divorce becomes more prevalent among American Muslims, it is increasingly important for families to understand how to minimize the risk of divorce and build healthy marriages. Although there are various approaches to help couples achieve healthy relationships, little is known about how American Muslims...
Traditional Healing Practices among American Muslims: Perceptions of Community Leaders in Southeast Michigan
July 8, 2011,Despite growing numbers of American Muslims, little empirical work exists on their use of traditional healing practices. We explored the types of traditional healing practices used by American Muslims in southeast Michigan. Twelve semi-structured interviews with American Muslim community leaders identified through a community-academic steering...
Meeting the Healthcare Needs of American Muslims
June 8, 2011,The Islamic values and cultural practices of American Muslims can play a role in community health disparities by influencing health behaviors and healthcare-seeking patterns and presenting challenges within the healthcare system. To date, scant empirical research has been conducted in collaboration with this community in...