VDM Hawa, S: Psychological Distress of Students Seeking Counseli

University and college counseling services have played a vital role in higher education for many years. Research in the U.S. has found an increase in psychological problems and distress among college students (Stone & Archer, 1990). What motivates students who seek counseling in the U.S. is stress due to academic, career, or personal problems that may interfere with their ability to take full advantage of the educational opportunities before them (Boyd, Hattauer, Brandel, Buckles, Davidshofer, Deakin, Erskine, Hurley, Locher, Piorkowski, Simono, Spivack, & Steel, 2003). While there are many factors that affect level of psychological distress in students there are some culture-specific factors relevant to the Arab Middle East that requires examination. Four variables pertinent to the Arab culture have been selected for examination due to their potential effects on psychological distress of students. These variables are religiosity, social support, social stigma and parental styles. We will seek to understand the relationship between intrinsic religiosity, social support, parental styles and stigma with psychological distress in Lebanese university students seeking therapy.