Beyond Conflict Management: Operationalizing Metaphysical Peace Theory and Spiritual-Structural Transformation (MPT-SST) as a Unified Science of Peace
American Journal of Applied Psychology July 22, 2026 DOI: 10.11648/j.ajap.20261504.12 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Proposes that peacebuilding outcomes improve when interventions address both psychological interiority and structural reform, as illustrated by the Boko Haram insurgency analysis, though the framework's components require empirical validation. |
Abstract
Peacebuilding interventions continue to yield limited results because conflict analysis remains largely confined to social, political and economic frameworks, neglecting the foundational role of psychological and consciousness dimensions. This article proposes Metaphysical Peace Theory and Spiritual-Structural Transformation (MPT-SST) as a comprehensive applied science that conceptualizes peace as an ontological state of coherence between individual and collective consciousness and the systems they inhabit. Integrating insights from peace psychology, systems theory and consciousness studies, the article positions MPT-SST as an evolutionary peace paradigm transcending traditional conflict management toward proactive coherence cultivation. As a conceptual investigation, this study does not present empirical data but instead offers a structured theoretical foundation and operational blueprint designed to inform future empirical inquiry and interdisciplinary collaboration. The framework is operationalized through three interconnected components: Universal Peace Dynamics, the Metaphysical Coherence Index and AI-assisted coherence monitoring, demonstrating applicability to applied psychology through trauma healing, deradicalization initiatives and collective behavioral regulation. These components are presented as provisional analytical tools requiring psychometric development and empirical validation in subsequent research phases. A contextual analysis of the Boko Haram insurgency illustrates how simultaneous attention to inner psychological realignment and external structural reform enables more profound and sustainable peace outcomes. This analysis functions as an illustrative heuristic rather than a formal empirical case study, reflecting the article's contribution as conceptual scholarship. By integrating psychological interiority with structural transformation within a unified measurement framework, MPT-SST provides both a theoretical foundation and practical methodology for advancing peace research and intervention design.