International Journal of Counseling and Psychotherapy

Self-Efficacy as a Mechanism in Sufi Psychotherapy for Psychological Disorders based on the Tazkiyat al-Nafs Approach: A Gadamerian Hermeneutic Analysis

Muaddyl Akhyar — 2026-08-30

Background: The escalating prevalence of psychological disorders highlights the limitations of conventional psychotherapy in addressing existential distress and spiritual alienation, creating an urgent need for an integrative psychospiritual framework. Objective: This study aims to examine self-efficacy as a core psychospiritual mechanism within Sufi psychotherapy based on the Tazkiyat al-Nafs approach in al-Ghazālī’s Iḥyā’ ‘Ulūm al-Dīn. Methods: A qualitative interpretive design employing Gadamerian hermeneutics was adopted, analyzing classical textual fragments (ibārah) through the iterative hermeneutic circle and the fusion of horizons between Sufi thought and modern psychological theories. Results: Tazkiyat al-Nafs practices (muḥāsabah/self-reflection, dhikr/remembrance of God, controlling hawā/worldly desires, ṣabr/patience, and tawakkul/trust in God) reconstruct self-efficacy from an autonomous cognitive appraisal into a transcendentally grounded capacity for emotional regulation, impulse control, and psychological resilience. Conclusion: Sufi psychotherapy addresses psychological disorders by shifting agency from ego-centric self-reliance to a purified qalb (heart), generating resilient self-efficacy through the synergy of human effort (mujāhadah) and divine empowerment (tawfīq). Originality/Value: This study strengthens the conceptual foundation of Islamic Psychology and Sufi Psychotherapy by uncovering the operational mechanisms of Tazkiyat al-Nafs regarding the reconstruction of transcendent self-efficacy in psychological disorders, which has remained underexplored. These findings enrich existing empirical evidence while serving as a strategic reference for psychotherapists, counselors, and mental health clinicians in developing spiritually responsive interventions.

The Effect of Schema Therapy on Aggressive Behaviour among Senior Secondary School Students in Oyo State, Nigeria

Augustina Ekeh — 2026-08-30

Background: Pervasive aggressive behavior in secondary schools severely undermines school safety, yet conventional school guidance rarely addresses the underlying early maladaptive schemas. Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of Schema Therapy on aggressive behavior among senior secondary school students in Oyo State, Nigeria. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was employed, involving 116 Senior Secondary School II students with high aggression scores recruited via multistage sampling. The experimental group received a ten-week structured Schema Therapy protocol, while the control group received conventional counseling. Data were collected using the Aggressive Behaviour Questionnaire (α = 0.89) and analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at the .05 level. Results: Schema Therapy produced a statistically significant main effect in reducing student aggression compared to conventional counseling. Gender also had a significant main effect, with female students recording higher post-test aggression scores than males. No significant treatment-by-gender interaction occurred, demonstrating consistent therapeutic gains across participants. Conclusion: Schema Therapy is empirically superior to conventional guidance in reducing adolescent aggression regardless of gender. Originality/Value: This study brings scientific novelty to the field of counseling and psychotherapy by uncovering the efficacy of Schema Therapy in restructuring early maladaptive schemas within a non-Western educational context that has remained underexplored. These findings enrich empirical evidence while providing a strategic reference for school counselors and policymakers in developing sustainable interventions.

Barriers to Counseling: LGBTQ+ Students’ Struggles in Accessing School Counseling Services in a Public School in Northwestern Philippines

Trachaey Mae Dulatre — 2026-08-30

Background: Despite legislative mandates for safe educational environments, LGBTQ+ youth in rural Southeast Asia face persistent minority stress and institutional barriers that deter formal help-seeking, representing an urgent population and practical knowledge gap in current school counseling literature. Objective: This study aimed to critically explore the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ students in accessing school counseling services within a rural Philippine public secondary school. Methods: Employing a qualitative narrative inquiry design, semi-structured interviews were conducted remotely via Google Meet with ten purposively sampled LGBTQ+ senior high school students (Grades 11–12, aged 16–17) and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. Results: Findings revealed that fears of confidentiality breaches, anticipated teacher bias, misgendering, and rigid uniform and haircut mandates severely diminished institutional trust, compelling marginalized learners to rely on peer alliances and digital subcultures as alternative coping mechanisms. Conclusion: Physical counseling offices do not guarantee emotional safety; guidance spaces remain precarious environments requiring a paradigm shift toward proactive, advocacy-based counseling models. Originality/Value: This study contributes to Guidance and Counseling and School Psychology by providing an empirically grounded framework on minority stress dynamics within an underrepresented provincial Southeast Asian context. The findings enrich existing empirical evidence and serve as a strategic benchmark for educational policymakers and school administrators to mandate practitioner cultural competence training, revise binary disciplinary codes, and institutionalize gender-affirming curriculum.

The Predictive Role of Spiritual Intelligence and Religious Coping in Muslim Students' Psychological Well-Being: A Multiple Linear Regression Analysis

Muhammad Hisyam Syafii — 2026-08-30

Background: University students face academic pressures triggering psychological distress, yet empirical research examining the joint predictive role of spiritual intelligence and religious coping among Muslim undergraduates remains scarce. Objective: This study aims to examine the partial and simultaneous effects of spiritual intelligence and religious coping on psychological well-being among Muslim undergraduate students at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. Methods: A quantitative correlational design was employed, involving 90 active Muslim students selected via total sampling. Data were collected using the Spiritual Intelligence Scale, the Religious Coping Scale, and the Psychological Well-Being Scale, and were subsequently analyzed using multiple linear regression. Results: Spiritual intelligence and religious coping simultaneously significantly predicted psychological well-being (F = 7.341, p = .002, R2 = .211). Partially, both variables significantly predicted well-being, with religious coping (β = .287, p = .007) exerting a stronger effect than spiritual intelligence ((β = .214, p = .038). Conclusion: Spiritual intelligence and adaptive religious coping act as synergistic internal psychospiritual anchors that enhance meaning-making, emotional regulation, and psychological well-being in Muslim undergraduates facing academic stress. Universities and campus counseling services should incorporate these spiritual resources into institutional support to provide comprehensive mental health interventions. Originality/Value: This study contributes to Islamic Educational Psychology by uncovering the simultaneous predictive dynamics of spiritual intelligence and religious coping regarding psychological well-being in Muslim undergraduates, which has remained underexplored. These findings enrich empirical evidence while serving as a strategic reference for campus counselors and university administrators in developing holistic, psycho-spiritually integrated mental health interventions.

How Cognitive Bias Shapes Gambling Behaviour and Consumer Vulnerability

Michael Mncedisi Willie — 2026-08-30

Background: The rapid expansion of digital gambling platforms significantly amplifies consumer vulnerability and gambling related harm, yet interdisciplinary literature synthe-sizing cognitive distortions, AI driven marketing personalization, and regulatory gover-nance gaps remains limited. Objective: This study aims to synthesize empirical and theo-retical evidence on how cognitive biases shape gambling behavior and consumer vulnera-bility across psychological, technological, socioeconomic, and regulatory dimensions. Methods: A qualitative literature review combining narrative and scoping review designs was conducted, examining 37 eligible studies selected via the PRISMA framework and ana-lyzed using thematic synthesis. Results: The findings demonstrate that cognitive biases, including the illusion of control, overconfidence bias, gambler's fallacy, and heuristic thin-king, interact with AI driven marketing personalization to reinforce persistent high-risk betting. These dynamics disproportionately harm vulnerable populations, culminating in acute psychological distress, severe debt accumulation, and broader socioeconomic insta-bility exacerbated by cross border regulatory deficits. Conclusion: Mitigating digital gam-bling harm requires an integrated framework combining ethical AI governance, transpa-rent marketing standards, public health interventions, and robust regulatory enforcement. Originality/Value: This review article advances scientific knowledge in the fields of beha-vioral economics, consumer psychology, and public health by synthesizing the evolving literature regarding cognitive biases and predictive digital marketing that has remained underexplored. It maps theoretical and methodological gaps while serving as a strategic reference for regulatory bodies and policymakers in formulating responsible gambling frameworks.

Ta’dib-based Islamic Parenting Model as an Intervention Strategy for Developing Emotional Intelligence among Primary School Children: A Therapeutic Relational Approach

Ghina Sofia Mahfuzah — 2026-08-30

Background: Children’s emotional intelligence is frequently addressed separately from spiritual-moral frameworks, leaving a critical conceptual gap regarding how Islamic educational philosophy functions as a relational therapeutic intervention to optimize child socioemotional competence. Objective: This study aims to formulate a ta’dib-Based Islamic Parenting Model as an intervention strategy and therapeutic relational approach for developing emotional intelligence among primary school children. Methods: A Directed Qualitative Content Analysis design was employed, systematically analyzing classical Islamic educational texts alongside contemporary developmental psychology literature through a deductive categorization matrix encompassing foundational values, relational practices, therapeutic mechanisms, and emotional outcomes. Results: Children's emotional intelligence cannot be developed through verbal indoctrination or rigid punishment; rather, it is cultivated within a therapeutic relational ecology where moral guidance, parental emotional composure, and secure attachment integrate holistically. Conclusion: The ta’dib-based parenting model cultivates children’s emotional intelligence (self-awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, and social competence) through a therapeutic relational approach rather than unidirectional moral doctrine. This dynamic operates through parental modeling, the habituation of adab (ethical conduct), and secure attachment within the family. Originality/Value: This paper advances theoretical perspectives in Islamic education, family counseling, and developmental psychology by integrating ta’dib philosophy with contemporary therapeutic parenting to explain child socioemotional dynamics that have remained underexplored. The proposed conceptual framework serves as a strategic reference for family therapists, counselors, and educators in developing evidencebased parenting intervention programs.

Evaluation of Online Psychological Assessment in Mental Health Services: User Perspectives and Implications for Counseling Practice

Devy Sekar Ayu Ningrum — 2026-08-30

Background: The rapid acceleration of digitalization has expanded the accessibility of contemporary mental health services; however, transitioning clinical assessments to virtual settings raises concerns regarding diagnostic accuracy due to the limited observation of clients' nonverbal behaviors. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness, strengths, and limitations of online psychological assessment from the perspective of university students. Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with undergraduate students at Universitas Negeri Gorontalo who had experienced telemental health services, and were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Online psychological assessment is highly effective for early detection, rapid preliminary screening, and mitigating social stigma by providing anonymity that fosters client self-disclosure. However, its diagnostic efficacy is fundamentally constrained by systemic losses of nonverbal cues (such as micro-expressions and body language) and technical signal latencies. Conclusion: Virtual psychological assessment cannot entirely replace traditional face-to-face clinical evaluations but functions as a vital, complementary entry point within a hybrid telemental health counseling model. This approach integrates the accessibility and stigma-reducing benefits of digital platforms for initial screening with the diagnostic depth of in-person clinical observation. Originality/Value: This study offers novel empirical insights into the field of clinical psychology and telemental health by uncovering qualitative evaluations of virtual psychological assessments within a regional higher education context that has remained underexplored. These findings enrich empirical evidence while providing a strategic reference for university counselors and mental health practitioners in formulating and developing standardized virtual assessment protocols.