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Exploring six Muslim teachers’ coping strategies in overcoming mental illness

Abd Karim, Aishah Hanim (2018) Exploring six Muslim teachers’ coping strategies in overcoming mental illness. IIUM Journal of Educational Studies, 6 (2). pp. 49-71. ISSN 2289-8085

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Abstract

This qualitative research explored Malaysian Muslim teachers’ perspectives of mental illness and well-being with an aim to understand how they coped with their own condition of illness and the relationship between spiritual practices and mental health. Six public school teachers served as interview participants, all of whom had experienced a mental breakdown at some point in their career. Using a semi-structured protocol, the teachers were interviewed individually at different times and settings. An inductive content analysis was used to interpret the data for all participants. The findings showed four themes, namely medical treatment, religion, family and societal support, and positivity to be the dominant factors of coping. Four subthemes emerged from religious coping, i.e., prayers, Qur’an reading, protective factor, and diseases of the heart. These subthemes suggested an association between spiritual practices and mental well-being. Apart from seeking professional help and getting appropriate medical treatment, the study also revealed the importance of engaging in various spiritual practices such as performing the five daily prayers, zikr, salawat shifa', and reading the Qur'an, strategies that produced the feelings of peace and calmness in the participants which were instrumental in helping them cope with their illness and become productive teachers.

Item Type: Article (Journal)
Additional Information: 79074/8322
Uncontrolled Keywords: Mental health, mental well-being, Muslim teachers, spiritual practices, religious coping
Subjects: L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1050.9 Educational psychology
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button): Kulliyyah of Education
Kulliyyah of Education > Department of Educational Psychology & Counseling
Depositing User: Dr Aishah Hanim Abd Karim
Date Deposited: 24 Feb 2020 15:25
Last Modified: 23 Dec 2021 11:33
URI: http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/79074

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