Al Halik, Farida Agus Setiawati, Budi Astuti, Agus Basuki
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a third-wave cognitive behavioral therapy that aims to enhance psychological flexibility through acceptance, mindfulness, and values-based action. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated across diverse settings and populations, yet applications in Muslim contexts remain underexplored. Given the centrality of spiritual health in Islam, concepts such as sabr (patience), tawakkul (trust in God), muraqabah (awareness of God through dhikr), and rida (acceptance of God’s will) may enhance the cultural resonance of ACT. This systematic literature review examined empirical studies on ACT interventions among Muslim populations published between 2019 and 2025 across Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were evaluated using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool and the Cochrane RoB-2. Findings indicate that both standard ACT and Islamic values integrated ACT consistently reduce anxiety, depression, and stress while improving psychological flexibility, quality of life, and spiritual well-being. Nonetheless, most studies were quasi-experimental, geographically concentrated in Iran and Indonesia, and heavily reliant on self-report measures, thereby limiting generalisability and causal inference. Integrating Islamic values into ACT represents a form of contextual adaptation that enhances client engagement and therapeutic relevance while maintaining ACT’s empirical foundations. Future research should prioritise rigorous multi-site randomised controlled trials, longitudinal designs, and the development of standardised Islamic values integrated ACT protocols using culturally validated instruments to strengthen the evidence base. © (2026), (Halil Eksi). All rights reserved.
The Department of Guidance and Counseling, Faculty of Education, Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta, 55221, Indonesia; Department of Guidance and Counseling, Yogyakarta State University, Indonesia; Department of Psychology, Yogyakarta State University, Indonesia
