Suhertina Suhertina

Islamic-Based Counseling Approaches for Student Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Literature Review

Introduction

Islamic-based counseling approaches for student mental well-being: a systematic literature review. Explore Islamic-based counseling approaches for Muslim student mental well-being. This systematic review analyzes effectiveness, diverse methods like ICBT, and implementation challenges.

Abstract

The mental health of Muslim students has become a critical issue that demands counseling approaches grounded in Islamic spiritual and cultural values. This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review on Islamic counseling approaches that support the mental health of Muslim students or adolescents, as well as to analyze their effectiveness and implementation challenges. The method employed is a systematic literature review of ten scholarly articles published in 2025, selected based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. The review findings indicate that Islamic counseling approaches are highly diverse, encompassing tazkiyatun nafs, sufi psychotherapy, Islamic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT), Islamic expressive writing, Islamic character education, and innovations in sharia-based digital counseling services. Most of these approaches have proven effective in enhancing mental resilience, reducing anxiety, improving emotional balance, and strengthening students' spiritual resilience. Nevertheless, several challenges were identified, including the limited competence of Islamic counselors, social stigma against counseling services, technological barriers, and the lack of longitudinal evidence-based studies. This review highlights the importance of developing Islamic counseling services that are structured, empirically grounded, and supported by collaboration among practitioners, academics, and policymakers to promote the mental health of Muslim youth in the contemporary era.

Review

This systematic literature review, "Islamic-Based Counseling Approaches for Student Mental Well-Being," addresses a highly relevant and critical area by exploring counseling interventions grounded in Islamic spiritual and cultural values for Muslim students. The study clearly articulates its aim to identify, analyze the effectiveness of, and uncover implementation challenges associated with these approaches. A notable strength lies in its comprehensive identification of a diverse range of Islamic-based methods, from traditional concepts like *tazkiyatun nafs* and Sufi psychotherapy to contemporary adaptations such as Islamic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT) and sharia-based digital counseling services. The abstract effectively highlights the reported efficacy of these approaches in enhancing mental and spiritual resilience, reducing anxiety, and improving emotional balance, thus offering a valuable overview of the landscape for culturally sensitive mental health support. However, a significant methodological concern arises from the abstract's statement regarding the inclusion criteria: "ten scholarly articles published in 2025." This implies the review analyzed future publications, which is not feasible for a systematic literature review conducted in the present. This discrepancy casts doubt on the described methodology and would require immediate clarification or correction to ensure the credibility and integrity of the review process. Beyond this, the abstract commendably identifies crucial challenges inherent in the field, including the limited competence of Islamic counselors, the pervasive issue of social stigma against seeking mental health services, technological barriers to access, and, most importantly, the lack of longitudinal evidence-based studies. These limitations underscore the nascent stage of the field and the pressing need for more rigorous empirical investigation. Despite the methodological query, the review's overall contribution to the discourse on culturally and spiritually sensitive mental health services is substantial. It effectively synthesizes current knowledge, laying out both the promising potential and the significant hurdles in implementing Islamic-based counseling. The concluding call for the development of structured, empirically grounded services, supported by robust collaboration among practitioners, academics, and policymakers, is particularly pertinent. Such interdisciplinary efforts are essential not only for overcoming the identified challenges but also for fostering the professional development of counselors and advancing the field through robust evidence generation. Ultimately, this review serves as an important impetus for enhancing the mental well-being of Muslim youth through informed, culturally resonant, and scientifically supported approaches.

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