Buddhist-inspired mindful practices and academic engagement: the mediating role of emotional regulation among postgraduate management students

This research examines the direct and indirect associations between Buddhist-Inspired Mindful Practices (BIMP) and Academic Engagement, with Emotional Regulation as a mediating variable, among postgraduate management students in higher education institutions. The study used a quantitative, cross-sectional design within a positivist paradigm, collecting data from 249 postgraduate management students at five higher education institutions in Butwal, Nepal. A 7-point Likert-scale questionnaire was used for data collection, and PLS-SEM was used for data analysis. The findings revealed that Buddhist-Inspired Mindful Practices are positively and significantly associated with academic engagement, both directly and indirectly through emotional regulation; because the data are cross-sectional, these relationships should be interpreted as statistical associations rather than causal effects. Among all the dimensions of BIMP, right intention and mindful awareness were the most effective factors. The research contributes to the literature on mindfulness and student engagement by incorporating ethical and emotional aspects within a culturally based framework. In practice, the results indicate that integrating mindfulness-based interventions grounded in Buddhism into postgraduate management learning has the potential to improve emotional well-being, activity, and postgraduate students’ satisfaction. On the societal level, the research highlights the value of culturally anchored contemplative practices in achieving emotionally balanced, sustainable learning conditions.