THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ISLAMIC-INSPIRED DIGITAL THERAPEUTICS APP: EXPLORING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15282/ijsecs.11.1.2025.6.0138Keywords:
Digital therapeutics, Mental health, Muslim university students, Islamic design and content, Mobile applicationAbstract
Mental health difficulties, including anxiety, depression and stress, are prevalent among Muslim university students and are often intensified by academic demands and societal stigma that discourage help-seeking. Existing mental health services frequently lack cultural and religious sensitivity, limiting their relevance and effectiveness for this population. Furthermore, although numerous Islamic-themed mobile applications exist globally, a comprehensive literature review reveals a notable absence of digital platforms specifically designed to address the distinct mental health challenges faced by Muslim students, particularly those offering live access to therapists and experts. This study seeks to address this critical gap by developing and evaluating a digital therapeutic application rooted in Islamic principles to enhance the psychological well-being of Muslim university students aged 18 to 30. The application combines evidence-based psychological interventions with Islamic spiritual practices such as Dhikr, Dua, and faith-based coping mechanisms. It delivers structured daily spiritual exercises, personalised support, and direct access to culturally competent clinicians, thereby providing a culturally congruent approach to mental healthcare. A total of 308 Muslim university students participated in a quantitative evaluation involving surveys, interviews and app usage data to assess the intervention’s impact on emotional resilience, stress reduction and engagement with spiritual practice. Statistical analysis revealed significant improvements in emotional regulation (p < 0.01) and coping strategies (p < 0.05) following app utilisation. While awareness of digital therapeutic apps (p = 0.497) and perceived helpfulness of Islamic-themed apps (p = 0.424) were not significant predictors, the model demonstrated strong explanatory capacity with adjusted R² values of 0.768 and 0.816 for mental health outcomes and age-related variance, respectively. These findings highlight the potential efficacy of integrating digital mental health interventions with Islamic values to overcome culturally specific barriers faced by Muslim students. The study emphasises the importance of culturally sensitive digital therapeutics and recommends further longitudinal research to evaluate their long-term impact within diverse religious populations.
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