The construction of an Islamically-integrated psychological well-being model

Psychological well-being is defined as an individual's overall functioning that includes fulfillment in various aspects of life such as having positive relationships with others, personal mastery, autonomy, having a feeling of purpose and meaning in life, and personal growth and development. Despite the abundance of literature on psychological well-being, contemporary research have focused almost entirely on Western conceptualizations of the concept, while mostly neglecting the cultural and religious factors that play a crucial role in defining it. The overall objective of this study is to classify and operationalize specific dimensions of psychological well-being from an Islamic perspective. A Modified Delphi method was used in an interdisciplinary team of experts to reach a consensus on the conceptualization of psychological well-being from an Islamic perspective. First, two classical Islamic works [(i.e., Abu Zayd al-Balkhi's (2013) Sustenance of Body and Soul, and Imam al-Birgivi's (2005) The Path of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)], address psychological well-being from Islamic philosophical and Sufic perspectives were analyzed in a thematic analysis. The results of the analysis of these sources brought together a model consisting of different dimensions that later became the statements of the first and second surveys for the Delphi process. Expert panel members reached a consensus that the two Islamic sources laid out a widely accepted foundational model for psychological well-being. A total of three main themes (i.e., knowledge, intention, and action) and eleven subthemes emerged as a result of the study. The results of the study are discussed in light of the existing literature as well as the study's contributions to the literature, its limitations, and implications for future practice and research.