JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Muslims have demonstrated poorer engagement and outcomes relative to other faith groups, barriers to care in part due to cultural incongruence, stigma and perceived limited compatibility between Islamic values and mainstream mental health services. Yet formal mental health services in the UK have under-representation from Muslims in the UK. Beyond that digital modalities offer scalable delivery but there is a scarcity of culturally adapted interventions for Muslim populations.

Objective:

To assess the usability, feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a mobile faith-adapted cognitive behavioral therapy intervention designed to reduce depressive symptoms among Muslim users.

Methods:

A single-arm feasibility study was conducted with assessments at baseline and 8-weeks. Eligible UK-based Muslim adults with depressive symptoms self-enrolled and completed an eight-session self-guided intervention integrating behavioral activation, cognitive restructuring, and coping consolidation with Islamic concepts (e.g. tawakkul, sabr, Qur’anic affirmations, prophetic exemplars). Engagement indices, app usability (Mobile App Rating Scale), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) were assessed quantitatively, and experiences of app use were assessed using qualitative questions.

Results:

Of 89 individuals screened, 51 were eligible; 28 downloaded the app and 19 provided complete post-intervention data. App quality was rated favorably (overall Mobile App Rating Scale= 4.09/5), with particularly high scores for functionality and aesthetics. Participants endorsed strong behavioral-impact perceptions, including increased knowledge, attitude change, help-seeking intention, and stigma reduction (84–95%). Mean PHQ-9 scores decreased from 10.89 to 6.00 (Δ = −4.89; Cohen’s d = 1.34); 47.4% achieved ≥50% reduction and 26.3% met the remission threshold. Qualitative feedback consistently attributed increased relevance, comfort, and engagement to the faith-integration.

Conclusions:

A faith-congruent mobile CBT intervention appears feasible and acceptable, although drop-out rates were high introducing bias. It was perceived as psychologically and culturally legitimate among Muslims who may be otherwise disengaged from mainstream care. Progression to a fully powered controlled evaluation would be the next step. Faith-aligned interventions may represent a necessary approach for reducing structural underutilization of psychological care in Muslim populations. Clinical Trial: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the King’s College London Research Ethics Committee REC reference number MRSU-24/25-45173.