Spirituality Studies 143 Muhammad Japar et al. and exceeded the analytical capacity of the available sample. Third, the primary aim of this feasibility study was to examine overall descriptive patterns and gender-related differences across the full sample rather than to compare module-specific effects. The analytical treatment of module content as a non-variable is therefore a deliberate and justified methodological decision within the constraints of this pilot study. Future controlled trials with adequate sample sizes should examine module specific effects as a distinct research question. Inclusion criteria consisted of the following: (1) aged 16 to 18 years, (2) being a practicing Muslim (committing to daily prayers), (3) being a student currently in grades 10 to 12, (4) being able to both read and write in the Bahasa Indonesia, (5) obtaining parental consent for participants who were under 18 years of age [2], and (6) being available for all sessions. Exclusion criteria were: (1) the existence of a severe mental health condition that required psychiatric care, as reported by a school counselor; (2) active involvement in other forms of psychological interventions; (3) the existence of a documented hearing impairment that would impede engagement with the music; and (4) having been absent from more than one session of the intervention. Although the use of purposive sampling for this study limits its generalizability to beyond the specific cultural and religious context, the approach was deemed the most suitable for the initial study of a first-of-its-kind intervention strategy that is being applied to a population with specific characteristics. 2.3 Intervention Protocol The intervention consisted of three different elements: (1) The use of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, or REBT, cognitive restructuring techniques. (2) The use of Islamic devotional music (nasheed and Quran recitation). (3) Guided Relaxation. Over the span of two months, eight sessions of 90 minutes each were conducted by master’s level trained counselors, who were also graduates of a counseling and guidance program, and who had experience with REBT and Islamic counseling, and had been trained on the intervention protocols. The REBT elements were structured using Ellis’s ABC (D) E model. A, which stands for activating events, identifies the event. Then the counselor and client work together with the irrational and rational beliefs (B, and C), the consequences which are emotional and behavioral are not a part of the model, C is for consequences, and then the client is encouraged to make new beliefs (E). Some of the techniques were: belief validation through the use of Socratic questioning, cognitive restructuring, in emotive REBT, the client has the chance to rehearse positive or adaptive responses, and a behavioral experiment in which the client is invited to test new beliefs. The Islamic component was the use of the terms ghaflah and taqwa, which posit irrational beliefs as a sign of spiritual neglect and the rationale of the belief as a sign of God-consciousness. REBT cognitive techniques and Islamic concepts of tazkiyat al-nafs and amal salih also go together. The audio materials for each session (15–20 minutes) included the “recitation of the Quran” in the technique of tajweed, and nasheed, a “devotional song”, the lyrics of which were aligned thematically to each session’s content (gratefulness, purpose, social impact, patience). Music selection was based on the following criteria: (1) congruence with the session objectives; (2) cultural familiarity to the participants as Indonesian Muslim adolescents; (3) a calm and moderate tempo; and (4) the absence of instruments in alignment with conservative Islamic views. The relaxation components for each session (10–15 minutes) included (1) progressive muscle relaxation coupled with dhikr (i.e., remembering and reciting “SubhanAllah” and “Alhamdulillah”); (2) the Islamic breathing technique with the silent repetition of some Islamic phrases, which was adapted from traditional “meditation” (Ar. muraqabah) practices; and (3) relaxation, framed as making the mental space, and the Islamic principle of sukun (Ar. “peace, calmness, and reassurance of the heart”) embodied. The structure for each of the sessions was as follows: Total of 90 minutes: Opening and check-in with homework review (10 minutes); Listening to Islamic Music and Guided Reflection (15 minutes); REBT Psychoeducation for this session (20 minutes); Cognitive Restructuring Group Activities (25 minutes); Guided Relaxation (15 minutes); Homework and a Closing Prayer (5 minutes). Session content progression: The first three sessions provided an overview of the REBT ABC model, constructs of meaning in life, and the identification of activating events and beliefs. The focus of sessions four through six was cen-
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