A Dutch program replaces security-based counter-radicalization with positive psychology and Quranic wisdom. The result? Muslims report greater personal growth, control, and confidence—without being treated as threats.
For years, government programs aimed at preventing violent extremism have operated from a place of suspicion. Muslims in Europe have often been treated as potential threats, subjected to ‘counter-narratives’ and security monitoring. The result, researchers say, is not safety, but stigma, alienation, and a breakdown of trust.
But a pioneering new study from Leiden University and the Free University of Amsterdam has flipped the script entirely. Instead of asking “What is wrong with you?” it asks “What is your inner strength?”
Published in the academic journal Frontiers in Psychology (July 2021), the research introduces a program called “Discover Your Inner Strength.” It combines Quranic teachings with a proven psychological technique called MCII (Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions) to help Muslims in the Netherlands face everyday challenges — from discrimination and internal community division to self-doubt and anxiety.
The results were clear: participants showed significant increases in Personal Growth Initiative (PGI) — the active desire to improve oneself — after just a few sessions. They felt more in control, better prepared, and more capable of responding constructively to adversity.
“Current prevention practice all too often takes an oppositional stance, suggesting there are narratives to be countered,” says lead researcher Dr. Mark Dechesne. “But such an approach focuses on threat and undermines trust. Affirmation and dialogue are essential for any truly constructive impact.”
The Problem with ‘Countering’ Extremism
Since the 2000s, P/CVE (Prevention and Countering Violent Extremism) has become a cornerstone of European counterterrorism strategy. Programs include educational workshops, community dialogues, and professional training aimed at ‘at-risk’ individuals. The stated goal is noble: prevent violence before it happens.
However, the researchers note a devastating paradox. Because programs are designed to manage a potential threat, they treat entire communities with suspicion. The vast majority of Muslims who are approached are “false positives” — not violent or extreme in any way. Yet they are subjected to security scrutiny.
This has led to:
- Stigmatization: Being labeled as ‘at-risk’ damages trust and belonging.
- Resentment: Islamic teachings are implicitly equated with extremism, needing to be ‘countered’ or ‘replaced.’
- Alienation: Programs intended to build rapport actually create a sense of being under constant surveillance.
As the study states, “For a significant share of ‘false positives,’ this has contributed to a sense of alienation and insecurity, rather than the sense of relationship, dialog, and trust, the programs aimed to establish.”
The root problem? An unbalanced relational trade-off: “Whereas the targets of CVE programs are expected to establish rapport and trust, the initiators of the programs are entitled to act out of distrust.”
A New Paradigm: Positive Psychology Meets Islamic Faith
The “Discover Your Inner Strength” program represents a radical departure. Instead of focusing on danger, it focuses on strengths. Instead of imposing external democratic values, it affirms Islamic identity as a source of positive change.
The program is built on two powerful pillars:
1. Quranic Inspiration: Each session begins with an imam discussing a specific Quranic verse or Hadith (prophetic saying) relevant to a common challenge. The participants are not told to reject their faith, but to use it as a framework for solutions.
2. MCII (Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions): This is a cognitive technique proven to help people achieve goals. Participants identify a specific challenge (“IF”) and then write a concrete plan to deal with it (“THEN”).
The result is a simple but transformative formula: “IF I face this challenge, THEN I will respond in this constructive way.”
The Four Themes: From Challenge to Strength
Through initial surveys with Dutch Muslims, researchers identified four major challenges. They designed a 4-session program turning each challenge into a positive goal:
| Original Challenge | Positive Theme | Key Quranic / Hadith Source |
|---|---|---|
| Division among Muslims | From Division to Wholeness | “And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves…” (Qur’an 3:103) |
| Friction with non-Muslims | From Friction to Harmony | “And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently… consult them in affairs.” (Qur’an 3:159) |
| Negative perceptions from outsiders | From Perception to Veracity | “O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with news, verify it…” (Qur’an 49:6) |
| Intrapersonal doubt and anxiety | From Doubt to Courage | “A strong believer is better and more lovable to Allah than a weak believer…” (Hadith, Prophet Muhammad) |
Example ‘IF-THEN’ rules created by participants:
- “IF I have a disagreement with my parent regarding religion, THEN I treat my parents with respect and discuss my viewpoint in an open manner.”
- “IF I know of fellow Muslims who refuse to go to my mosque, THEN I will search for a respected mediator to explore the possibility of reconciliation.”
The Data: Real Growth, Real Resilience
The researchers conducted two separate studies — one in The Hague (2018-2019) and one in Rotterdam (2019) — involving over 100 Muslim participants ranging from age 15 to 55. They measured three key outcomes: Personal Growth Initiative, Emotional Wellbeing, and Sociability.
The most consistent and encouraging finding was on Personal Growth Initiative (PGI) — the active, intentional development of oneself. This is a crucial protective factor against hopelessness and radicalization.
Impact on Personal Growth Initiative (PGI)
| Participant Group | Before Program (Mean Score) | After Program (Mean Score) | Statistical Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attended thematic session (Study 1) | 109.9 | 116.8 | Significant Increase (p < 0.002) |
| Did NOT attend session (Study 1) | 103.3 | 103.7 | No change |
| Completed 2+ sessions (Study 2) | 106.9 | 115.8 | Linear Increase (p < 0.08, marginally significant) |
“Participants who attended the thematic session showed higher PGI after the session and practice than before,” the researchers report. Those who did not attend showed no increase.
Participant Reported Benefits (Qualitative Feedback)
| Participant Quote | Benefit Identified |
|---|---|
| “I had a better sense of what to do when facing important challenges.” | Clarity of action |
| “I felt better prepared when confronted with a challenge.” | Preparedness |
| “I felt more in charge of the situation.” | Sense of control |
| “I felt supported that I could share and discuss my experiences.” | Community support & shared reality |
Note: Emotional wellbeing and sociability measures showed no significant change in the between-groups analysis, suggesting the program’s primary impact is on active personal growth rather than mood or extraversion.
Why ‘IF-THEN’ Planning Works with Faith
The MCII technique is well-established in health psychology — used to help people exercise more, eat healthier, and quit smoking. But applying it to sensitive social and religious issues is new.
The genius of “Discover Your Inner Strength” is that it uses the Quran not as a book of rigid rules, but as a source of flexible inspiration for problem-solving. The IF-THEN format transforms abstract religious values into actionable, automatic behavioral scripts.
When a participant encounters the challenge they anticipated (e.g., hearing a negative stereotype about Muslims at work), the “IF-THEN” rule they wrote and practiced kicks in automatically — almost like muscle memory. Instead of reacting with anger, silence, or despair, they respond with the constructive action they planned in advance.
This builds self-efficacy — the belief that one can succeed in specific situations — which is a cornerstone of resilience.
Implications for Counter-Radicalization
The researchers are careful not to overclaim. They note the small sample sizes and the need for more rigorous, randomized controlled trials. However, they argue that this positive, faith-affirming approach has profound implications for P/CVE policy.
First, it avoids the ‘counter-narrative trap’. Research shows that directly contradicting someone’s beliefs can backfire, causing psychological reactance and stronger commitment to the original view (Bélanger et al., 2021). Affirming identity works better.
Second, it builds genuine trust. When a program starts from the assumption that Islam is a source of strength, not a security problem, participants engage authentically. They share real challenges. They support each other.
Third, it empowers communities from within. Instead of external experts telling Muslims what values to adopt, the program assumes Muslims already have the tools — in their scripture and their faith — to solve their own problems.
“There need not be a change in attitude or shift in identification, or new knowledge to be acquired,” the study states. “What is required is a demonstration that maintaining one’s identity and living by it has positive consequences for one’s participation in and contribution to society.”
A Quiet Revolution in Mental Health and Social Policy
The “Discover Your Inner Strength” program is still small-scale. But it represents a larger, necessary shift: from securitization to empowerment, from suspicion to trust, and from externally imposed solutions to internally discovered strengths.
For the participants, the benefits were tangible. They reported not just feeling better, but doing better — handling family disagreements with respect, reconciling with fellow Muslims, and facing public prejudice with calm, prepared responses.
And in an era where mental health resources are stretched thin, a low-cost, community-based, faith-affirming program that increases personal growth initiative is not just good policy — it is good psychology.
As one participant put it: “I felt more in charge of the situation.”
For young Muslims navigating the complex challenges of life in contemporary Europe, that feeling of being in charge — of having an inner strength to draw upon — may be the most powerful form of resilience of all.
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