A case study carried out under our association by Clinical Psychologist Yakup Işık and Dr. Taha Burak Toprak has been published in the International Journal of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The study focuses on the psychotherapy process of a client suffering from scrupulosity (religious obsessive–compulsive disorder) who had not benefited from pharmacological treatment.

The client’s main symptom domains consisted of obsessional doubts about “having abandoned the religion” and “whether he had engaged in words or behaviors that could cause him to leave the religion,” accompanied by compulsions such as researching, trying to recall, and paying excessive attention to words and behaviors. In the course of treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions were integrated with religious references; cognitive restructuring of misinterpretations and exposure and response prevention (ERP) practices were carried out in a way that was consistent with the client’s religious sensitivities. Three main religious interventions stood out in the process: a sustainable program of righteous (ṣāliḥ) deeds and worship, a plan for coping with religious uncertainties, and the reconstruction of the conception of Allah in accordance with Islamic references.

At the beginning of treatment, the client’s obsession and compulsion severity was at a ‘severe’ level. By the end of therapy, symptoms had decreased to below the ‘mild’ level, and follow-up assessments showed that this progress was maintained. Although anxiety symptoms increased due to new life circumstances, the fact that these changes did not result in a rise in compulsions was interpreted as indirect evidence of the lasting effect of the treatment.

During the therapy process, the client reported learning to move beyond a ritualistic and rule-bound approach to religious practice, to differentiate between religious responsibility and obsessive thoughts, to become more aware of Allah’s mercy, and to break the cycle of compulsions. This study is particularly important in drawing attention to potential negative experiences that clients with similar challenges may encounter when seeking professional help and in highlighting the contribution of consultations with religious scholars to the therapeutic process. The full text of the article can be accessed via the link below: 

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41811-025-00262-3