Positive Psychology and SEL within Islamic religious education: a phenomenological study in Türkiye and the Netherlands

Within a psychology of religion framework, the relationship between Islamic religious education and early adolescent religious identity and psychological well-being was examined in Türkiye (majority context) and the Netherlands (minority context; participants of Turkish origin). A qualitative phenomenological design was employed. Semi-structured interviews with 12 students aged 11 to 12 years were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Across sites, Islamic religious education supported social-emotional learning (SEL) processes including meaning-making and moral agency (purpose), self-regulation and perseverance, belonging and recognition, and emotional resilience within psychologically safe spaces. Context-specific enactments were observed. In Türkiye, religious education was experienced as a structured pathway to moral self-discipline and prosocial conduct. In the Netherlands, it was experienced primarily as an ecology fostering belonging, psychological safety, and coping among visible Muslim minorities. Four analytic themes were identified: (1) purpose and moral agency; (2) self-regulation and perseverance; (3) belonging and recognition; and (4) gendered expectations in religious practice. The findings suggest that students interpret Islamic religious education as supporting key social-emotional learning dimensions, particularly meaning, emotional regulation, and belonging across differing sociocultural school ecologies. Practice implications are offered for integrating SEL-oriented pedagogies with Islamic religious education across majority and minority schooling contexts.