THE ROLE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND FAMILY COMMUNICATION PATTERNS IN FORMING CHILDREN'S ISLAMIC VALUES (CASE STUDY OF DYATTERS IN RELIGIOUS FAMILIES)

Abstract

In the midst of modern challenges, many religious families struggle to effectively transmit religious values to their children. In many cases, inappropriate approaches even create emotional distance. In Islam, however, children are regarded as both a blessing and a trust that must be guided with affection. Instilling religious values is not merely a ritual obligation, but also a pathway to build comfort, warmth, and loving relationships between parents and children. Thus, the quality of instilling Islamic values in children cannot be separated from parents’ inner well-being and the way they communicate within the family. These aspects serve as a critical foundation that determines whether religion is received by children as a source of love and peace, or perceived as a source of discomfort.

This study examines the crucial role of parental mental health and family communication patterns in the process of instilling Islamic values in children. Using a qualitative approach with a collective dyadic case study design, this research explores the dynamics of three religious families in Indonesia. Data collection was conducted in two stages: an initial online questionnaire screening followed by in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted separately with parents and their adolescent children (aged 12–17). The findings reveal two contrasting patterns. First, in families where parents carry unresolved childhood wounds, communication transmission patterns tend to instill fear in children, leading them to perceive Islamic values as a burden and fostering false compliance. Second, in families where parents have reflected upon and broken the cycle of past wounds, a validating communication pattern was formed that fosters psychological safety. This, in turn, nurtures strong and personal faith in children while strengthening family relationships. The study concludes that parental emotional stability and mental health are fundamental prerequisites that outweigh mere mastery of religious knowledge in fostering Islamic values that truly resonate in children’s hearts.