Enhancing student mental health through Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) toward curricular and cultural integration.
Zalik Nuryana, Xiaoyu Ni, Herdian, Shiqi Lu, Wenbin Xu, Suyadi
Asian Journal of Psychiatry June 20, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2025.104598 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Asian education Curriculum integration Student mental health Student well-being Youth mental health Emotional support Psychological well-being Mindfulness-based stress reduction Mindful practices Educational integration School programs Academic integration Cross-cultural adaptation Cultural sensitivity Contextualization Cultural relevance |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | While MBSR effectively alleviates anxiety, enhances emotional regulation, and fosters psychological resilience among students in Asian contexts, five critical areas—curriculum integration, neuropsychological mechanisms, digital and geographic accessibility, culturally adapted hybrid delivery models, and comparative analysis with indigenous contemplative practices—remain underexplored. |
Abstract
Student mental health is receiving increasing attention due to escalating academic, social, and emotional pressures, particularly in Asian educational contexts. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), has shown consistent effectiveness in alleviating anxiety, enhancing emotional regulation, and fostering psychological resilience among students. While the systematic review by Hue et al. affirms these general benefits, it does not explore critical areas for future research. This article highlights five underexplored dimensions: the structural integration of MBSR into formal curricula, the neuropsychological mechanisms underpinning its educational impact, the digital and geographic accessibility challenges in Asian contexts, the absence of culturally adapted hybrid delivery models, and the lack of comparative analysis between MBSR and indigenous contemplative practices such as dhikr, vipassana, zazen, and samatha. Addressing these gaps is essential to develop culturally relevant, pedagogically sound, and scalable MBSR interventions for educational systems in Asia.