Positive Psychology and SEL within Islamic religious education
A phenomenological study in Türkiye and the Netherlands
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21445271 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Dilek Bal Koçak (0000-0001-5322-2895, Kastamonu University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-19 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-16 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | British Journal of Religious Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0141-6200 • E-ISSN: 1740-7931 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/01416200.2026.2690037 |
| OpenAlex | W7164994756 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 54 |
Within a psychology of religion framework, the relationship between Islamic religious education and early adolescent religious identity and psychological well-being was examined in Türkiye (majority context) and the Netherlands (minority context; participants of Turkish origin). A qualitative phenomenological design was employed. Semi-structured interviews with 12 students aged 11 to 12 years were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Across sites, Islamic religious education supported social-emotional learning (SEL) processes including meaning-making and moral agency (purpose), self-regulation and perseverance, belonging and recognition, and emotional resilience within psychologically safe spaces. Context-specific enactments were observed. In Türkiye, religious education was experienced as a structured pathway to moral self-discipline and prosocial conduct. In the Netherlands, it was experienced primarily as an ecology fostering belonging, psychological safety, and coping among visible Muslim minorities. Four analytic themes were identified: (1) purpose and moral agency; (2) self-regulation and perseverance; (3) belonging and recognition; and (4) gendered expectations in religious practice. The findings suggest that students interpret Islamic religious education as supporting key social-emotional learning dimensions, particularly meaning, emotional regulation, and belonging across differing sociocultural school ecologies. Practice implications are offered for integrating SEL-oriented pedagogies with Islamic religious education across majority and minority schooling contexts
Coping (psychology) · Interpretative phenomenological analysis · Islam · Prosocial behavior · Reflexivity · Religious education · Religious identity · Sociocultural evolution · Thematic analysis · Turkish · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Religion, Theology, and Education · Religious Education and Schools
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |