Iranian Journal of Educational Sociology 2645-3460 In Press 2026 09 01 Psychosocial Status of Iraqi Students and the Effectiveness of Multicultural Therapy in Improving Psychological and Social Functioning Among Students with Anxiety Disorders Psychosocial Status of Iraqi Students and the Effectiveness of Multicultural Therapy in Improving Psychological and Social Functioning Among Students with Anxiety Disorders 1 18 10.61838/9vby4933 EN Journal Article 2026 02 03 <p><strong>Purpose:</strong> The present study aimed to investigate the psychosocial status of Iraqi students and determine the effectiveness of multicultural therapy in reducing anxiety and psychological distress and improving social well-being and social functioning.</p> <p><strong>Methods and Materials:</strong> This study was conducted in two phases. The first phase used a descriptive–analytical design to assess the psychosocial status of international students at Mohaghegh Ardabili University during the 2025–2026 academic year. From a population of 250 students, 124 were selected through multistage sampling and completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Keyes Social Well-Being Scale, Hadian-Nasab Social Functioning Scale, and 28-item General Health Questionnaire. In the second phase, 30 eligible Iraqi students who scored above 17 on the Beck Anxiety Inventory were selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group and a wait-list control group, with 15 participants in each group. The experimental group received a structured multicultural therapy program, whereas the control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of covariance, and univariate analysis of covariance in SPSS version 26.</p> <p><strong>Findings:</strong> The multivariate analysis indicated a significant overall effect of group membership on the combined dependent variables after controlling for pretest scores, Pillai’s trace = .87, F(4, 21) = 35.17, p &lt; .001, partial η² = .87. Univariate analyses showed that multicultural therapy significantly reduced anxiety, F(1, 27) = 72.84, p &lt; .001, partial η² = .730, and general psychological distress, F(1, 27) = 64.35, p &lt; .001, partial η² = .704. It also significantly improved social well-being, F(1, 27) = 58.61, p &lt; .001, partial η² = .685, and social functioning, F(1, 27) = 49.27, p &lt; .001, partial η² = .646.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Multicultural therapy was effective in reducing anxiety and psychological distress and enhancing social well-being and social functioning among Iraqi students, suggesting that culturally responsive interventions can support both psychological adjustment and social adaptation in international student populations.</p> https://qijes.com/index.php/ijes/article/download/1523/1503