The Pathology of Toxic Religiousness: A Study of Religious Neuroticism at SMK Darussalam Blokagung
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69552/bqbxje84Keywords:
Religious Neuroticism, Toxic Religiosity, Clinical Psychology, Mental Health of Islamic Boarding School Students.Abstract
This study aims to analyze the manifestations of religious neuroticism that trigger symptoms of toxic religiosity among students in the pesantren ecosystem. The research setting is SMK Darussalam Blokagung, Banyuwangi, this school integrates the national vocational education curriculum (Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology) with character education based on the traditional pesantren model.. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews with students and caregivers, participant observation of daily behaviors, and a review of documents related to the curriculum and disciplinary records. Data analysis was conducted using an interactive model that included data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions, while the validity of the findings was ensured through triangulation of sources and techniques. The research findings indicate that religious neuroticism manifests as excessive spiritual anxiety, an obsession with rigid ritual purity, and a tendency to judge other groups harshly as a defense mechanism. This phenomenon of toxic religiosity is often a sublimation of poorly managed psychological stress within an environment of piety competition. The implications of this research emphasize the importance of integrating clinical psychological counseling services in Islamic boarding schools to transform neurotic religious orientations into a healthy, inclusive religiosity that supports students’ mental well-being.
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