Islamically Integrated Chair-Work for Bereaved Muslims

Plain-language summary

This study aims to develop and to evaluate the efficacy of an Islamically integrated chair-work intervention designed to assist Muslims experiencing prolonged grief in resolving unfinished business tension. Employing a randomized, non-concurrent, multiple baseline design, the study comprises five phases: (1) baseline assessment, (2) empathic attunement, (3) Traditional Islamically Integrated Psychotherapy (TIIP) chair-work intervention, (4) cognitive consolidation \& spiritually behavioral activation, and (5) follow-up. By integrating insights from early Islamic scholars like Al-Kindi, Abu Bekir er-Razi, and Ibn Sina, alongside psychological counseling and cultural elements, this intervention aims to fill a crucial gap in existing literature. Grief, a normal emotional reaction after the loss of a loved one, is typically resolved over time without professional intervention. However, a small yet significant number of individuals experience prolonged grief disorder (PGD), a persistent and impairing form of grief lasting over 6 months. Unfinished business, indicating unresolved relational issues with the deceased, is a key risk factor for severe PGD. Higher levels of unfinished business are associated with increased psychological problems and unhealthy expressions of grief. Within the framework of Traditional Islamically Integrated Psychotherapy (TIIP), unfinished business is viewed as an emotionally charged problem. Processing this emotional burden during TIIP sessions aims to facilitate resolution, replacing maladaptive emotions with adaptive ones, fulfilling emotional needs, and establishing new meanings for unresolved conflicts. Sense-making of one's loss is crucial for a healthier grieving process, making meaning-oriented techniques more effective in grief therapy. Moreover, research indicates that the expression of grief is influenced by spirituality, religious beliefs, and practices. Yet, there is a lack of faith-based intervention programs tailored for grieving Muslims. This study seeks to address this gap by providing closure and therapeutic methods that cater to the nuanced emotional struggles of bereaved Muslims, offering a faith-based approach previously unavailable in the literature.

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