Global trends and emerging themes in psychological well‐being and mindfulness research: A science‐mapping study aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3 (good health and well‐being)
Applied Psychology Health and Well-Being December 1, 2025 Khanh Huy Nguyen, Mai Dong Tran 1 citation
This review maps 1941 Web of Science articles published from 2000 to May 2025 to clarify how mindfulness research relates to psychological well-being and Sustainable Development Goal 3. Using network and temporal analyses, the authors identify 11 thematic clusters covering clinical care, workplace motivation, cognitive-neuroscience mechanisms, measurement, family settings, trauma recovery, and cardiometabolic health. Publication activity has increased substantially, and the field's focus has shifted from symptom reduction toward resilience and technology-enabled applications. Emerging topics include self-compassion, interoception, and digital delivery. Persistent gaps include under-representation of non-WEIRD populations, limited attention to eudaimonic outcomes, incomplete mechanism specification, and sparse long-term evidence.