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.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- A systematic review of mindfulness-based stress reduction in the management of anxiety disorders among adolescents and young adults aged 13-26. Asian Journal of Psychiatry June 1, 2025
- Innovating Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Delivery in Cancer Care: Enhancing Accessibility and Engagement Clinical Cancer Investigation Journal 2024
- Towards a mechanistic understanding of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) using an RCT neuroimaging approach: Effects on regulating own stress in social and non-social situations. Neuroimage July 1, 2022
- Mindfulness meditation improves cognition: evidence of brief mental training. Consciousness and Cognition April 3, 2010