A PRE AND POST ANALYSIS: A STUDY TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF FASTING ON PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH, SPIRITUAL WELLBEING AND AGGRESSION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OF PESHAWAR
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Abstract
This study examines how 200 young adult students (aged 19–30) who fast throughout Ramadan affect their mental health, spiritual well-being, and level of hostility. Using a strict pre-and-post study methodology, our results show a marked improvement in mental clarity, emotional stability, and spiritual aspects after the fast. The fact that individuals also reported much lower levels of aggressiveness highlights the all-encompassing advantages of fasting practices. The combination of qualitative and quantitative evidence points to the possibility that adopting fasting customs can actively support students' development of spirituality, mental toughness, and decreased levels of hostility. This study highlights the potential of mindful activities to support overall student well-being while also lending empirical support to the conversation about them.
References
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14. Kartal, F., Demirbay, S., Mete, B., Özcan, C., & Ünal, S. (2021). The effects of Ramadan fasting on mental health in health professionals in a university hospital. Sakarya Med J, 11(2), 337-346.
15. Keyes, C. L. (2006). Mental health in adolescence: is America's youth flourishing? American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76(3), 395-402.
16. Khajavi, D., & MirAli, H. (2017). Predicting trait Competitive Anxiety, Competitive Aggression, and Competitive Anger based on Spiritual Intelligence in Veterans and Disabled Athletes. Iranian Journal of War and Public Health, 9(3), 163-168.
17. Khan, M. M. A., Nor, N. M., Mamat, N. M., Mohd-Shukri, N. A., & Bakar, W. A. M. A. (2018). Fasting in Islam: a combination of spiritual elevation and prevention of diseases. IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia, 17(2).
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19. Makros, J., & McCabe, M. (2003). The relationship between religion, spirituality, psychological adjustment, and quality of life among people with multiple sclerosis. Journal of Religion and Health, 42, 143-159.
20. Mattson, M. P., Longo, V. D., & Harvie, M. (2017). Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Ageing research reviews, 39, 46-58.
21. McCullough, M. E. (2000). Forgiveness as human strength: Theory, measurement, and links to well-being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19(1), 43-55.
22. Mishra, S., & Tara, D. D. (2022). Relationship between religiosity and aggression among Indian adults. International journal of Indian psychology, 10(3).
23. Nasiri, M., & Lotfi, A. (2020). Effect of Fasting on Spiritual Health, Mental Health, and Control of Aggression. Journal of Nutrition, Fasting and Health, 8(3), 169-175.
24. Organization, W. H. (2001). The World Health Report 2001: Mental health: new understanding, new hope.
25. Pakkir Maideen, N. M., Jumale, A., Alatrash, J. I., & Abdul Sukkur, A. A. (2017). Health benefits of Islamic intermittent fasting. Journal of Nutrition, Fasting and Health, 5(4), 162-171.
26. Paloutzian, R. F., & Ellison, C. W. (1982). Spiritual well-being scale. A spiritual strategy for counseling and psychotherapy.
27. Qaisi, V. G. (2001). Increasing awareness of health care concerns during Ramadan. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association (Washington, DC: 1996), 41(4), 511-511.
28. Rayhan, A. (2021). Fast for Health: The Science and Spirituality of Islamic Fasting.
29. Seaward, B. L. (2020). Managing Stress: Skills for Self-Care, Personal Resiliency and Work-Life Balance in a Rapidly Changing World: Skills for Self-Care, Personal Resiliency and Work-Life Balance in a Rapidly Changing World. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
30. Sinha, J. W., Cnaan, R. A., & Gelles, R. J. (2007). Adolescent risk behaviors and religion: Findings from a national study. Journal of Adolescence, 30(2), 231-249.
31. Spilka, B., Hood, R. W., Hunsberger, B., & Gorsuch, R. (2003). The psychology of religion: An empirical approach. Guilford Press.
32. Varady, K. A., Cienfuegos, S., Ezpeleta, M., & Gabel, K. (2021). Cardiometabolic benefits of intermittent fasting. Annual Review of Nutrition, 41, 333-361.
33. Yousuf, S., Syed, A., & Ahmedani, M. Y. (2021). To explore the association of Ramadan fasting with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in people with diabetes. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 172, 108545.
34. Ziaee, V., Razaei, M., Ahmadinejad, Z., Shaikh, H., Yousefi, R., Yarmohammadi, L., Bozorgi, F., & Behjati, M. J. (2006). The changes of metabolic profile and weight during Ramadan fasting. Singapore Medical Journal, 47(5), 409.
2. Bauer, G. F., Hämmig, O., & Keyes, C. L. (2014). Mental health as a complete state: How the salutogenic perspective completes the picture. Bridging occupational, organizational and public health: A transdisciplinary approach, 179-192.
3. Bushman, B. J., & Huesmann, L. R. (2010). Aggression. Handbook of social psychology.
4. Buss, A. H., & Perry, M. (1992). The aggression questionnaire. Journal of personality and social psychology, 63(3), 452.
5. Cherif, A., Roelands, B., Meeusen, R., & Chamari, K. (2016). Effects of intermittent fasting, caloric restriction, and Ramadan intermittent fasting on cognitive performance at rest and during exercise in adults. Sports Medicine, 46, 35-47.
6. Erdem, O. (2018). The investigation of the effects of Ramadan fasting on the mood state of healthy volunteer persons. Family Practice and Palliative Care, 3(1), 1-6.
7. George Dalmida, S., Holstad, M. M., DiIorio, C., & Laderman, G. (2011). Spiritual well-being and health-related quality of life among African–American women with HIV/AIDS. Applied research in quality of life, 6, 139-157.
8. Gilavand, A., & Fatahiasl, J. (2018). Studying effect of fasting during Ramadan on mental health of university students in Iran: A review. Journal of Research in Medical and Dental Science, 6(2), 205-209.
9. Goldberg, D. P., & Hillier, V. F. (1979). A scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire. Psychological Medicine, 9(1), 139-145.
10. Habibi Kaleybar, R., Shaban Basim, F., Samimi, Z., Mollamohseni, M., & Azizi, S. (2018). Explaining high-risk behaviors among students on the basis of religious orientation and spiritual health. Islamic Life Journal, 2(4), 203-209.
11. Hilton, J. M., & Child, S. L. (2014). Spirituality and the successful aging of older Latinos. Counseling and Values, 59(1), 17-34.
12. Hjelm, J. (2010). The dimensions of health: Conceptual models. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
13. Jirásek, I. (2015). Religion, spirituality, and sport: from religio athletae toward spiritus athletae. New Quest, 67(3), 290-299.
14. Kartal, F., Demirbay, S., Mete, B., Özcan, C., & Ünal, S. (2021). The effects of Ramadan fasting on mental health in health professionals in a university hospital. Sakarya Med J, 11(2), 337-346.
15. Keyes, C. L. (2006). Mental health in adolescence: is America's youth flourishing? American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76(3), 395-402.
16. Khajavi, D., & MirAli, H. (2017). Predicting trait Competitive Anxiety, Competitive Aggression, and Competitive Anger based on Spiritual Intelligence in Veterans and Disabled Athletes. Iranian Journal of War and Public Health, 9(3), 163-168.
17. Khan, M. M. A., Nor, N. M., Mamat, N. M., Mohd-Shukri, N. A., & Bakar, W. A. M. A. (2018). Fasting in Islam: a combination of spiritual elevation and prevention of diseases. IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia, 17(2).
18. Knapik, G. P., Martsolf, D. S., Draucker, C. B., & Strickland, K. D. (2010). Attributes of spirituality described by survivors of sexual violence. Qualitative Report (Online), 15(3), 644.
19. Makros, J., & McCabe, M. (2003). The relationship between religion, spirituality, psychological adjustment, and quality of life among people with multiple sclerosis. Journal of Religion and Health, 42, 143-159.
20. Mattson, M. P., Longo, V. D., & Harvie, M. (2017). Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Ageing research reviews, 39, 46-58.
21. McCullough, M. E. (2000). Forgiveness as human strength: Theory, measurement, and links to well-being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19(1), 43-55.
22. Mishra, S., & Tara, D. D. (2022). Relationship between religiosity and aggression among Indian adults. International journal of Indian psychology, 10(3).
23. Nasiri, M., & Lotfi, A. (2020). Effect of Fasting on Spiritual Health, Mental Health, and Control of Aggression. Journal of Nutrition, Fasting and Health, 8(3), 169-175.
24. Organization, W. H. (2001). The World Health Report 2001: Mental health: new understanding, new hope.
25. Pakkir Maideen, N. M., Jumale, A., Alatrash, J. I., & Abdul Sukkur, A. A. (2017). Health benefits of Islamic intermittent fasting. Journal of Nutrition, Fasting and Health, 5(4), 162-171.
26. Paloutzian, R. F., & Ellison, C. W. (1982). Spiritual well-being scale. A spiritual strategy for counseling and psychotherapy.
27. Qaisi, V. G. (2001). Increasing awareness of health care concerns during Ramadan. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association (Washington, DC: 1996), 41(4), 511-511.
28. Rayhan, A. (2021). Fast for Health: The Science and Spirituality of Islamic Fasting.
29. Seaward, B. L. (2020). Managing Stress: Skills for Self-Care, Personal Resiliency and Work-Life Balance in a Rapidly Changing World: Skills for Self-Care, Personal Resiliency and Work-Life Balance in a Rapidly Changing World. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
30. Sinha, J. W., Cnaan, R. A., & Gelles, R. J. (2007). Adolescent risk behaviors and religion: Findings from a national study. Journal of Adolescence, 30(2), 231-249.
31. Spilka, B., Hood, R. W., Hunsberger, B., & Gorsuch, R. (2003). The psychology of religion: An empirical approach. Guilford Press.
32. Varady, K. A., Cienfuegos, S., Ezpeleta, M., & Gabel, K. (2021). Cardiometabolic benefits of intermittent fasting. Annual Review of Nutrition, 41, 333-361.
33. Yousuf, S., Syed, A., & Ahmedani, M. Y. (2021). To explore the association of Ramadan fasting with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in people with diabetes. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 172, 108545.
34. Ziaee, V., Razaei, M., Ahmadinejad, Z., Shaikh, H., Yousefi, R., Yarmohammadi, L., Bozorgi, F., & Behjati, M. J. (2006). The changes of metabolic profile and weight during Ramadan fasting. Singapore Medical Journal, 47(5), 409.
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Dec 31, 2023
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How to Cite
Musawera Ghani, Dr. Syeda Nadia shah, Dr. Muhammad Saifullah Qureshi, Dr. Syed Zuhaib Aziz, & Omar Zeb Khan. (2023). A PRE AND POST ANALYSIS: A STUDY TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF FASTING ON PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH, SPIRITUAL WELLBEING AND AGGRESSION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OF PESHAWAR. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 30(19), 1734-1742. https://doi.org/10.53555/jptcp.v30i19.3903
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Author Biographies
Musawera Ghani
Department of Psychology, Islamia College Peshawar, Pakistan
Dr. Syeda Nadia shah
Department of Psychology, Islamia College Peshawar, Pakistan
Dr. Muhammad Saifullah Qureshi
Assistant Professor Psychology, Preston University Islamabad, Pakistan
Dr. Syed Zuhaib Aziz
Lecturer Sociology Department, Islamia University Bahawalpur, Pakistan
Omar Zeb Khan
PhD Scholar Psychology, Department of Psychology, Foundation University School of Science and Technology Rawalpindi, Pakistan
How to Cite
Musawera Ghani, Dr. Syeda Nadia shah, Dr. Muhammad Saifullah Qureshi, Dr. Syed Zuhaib Aziz, & Omar Zeb Khan. (2023). A PRE AND POST ANALYSIS: A STUDY TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF FASTING ON PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH, SPIRITUAL WELLBEING AND AGGRESSION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OF PESHAWAR. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 30(19), 1734-1742. https://doi.org/10.53555/jptcp.v30i19.3903