For millions of students juggling exams, social pressures and the daily grind of university life, mindfulness has become a popular way to cope with stress. New research suggests that what mindfulness actually means, and how young people practise it, can look strikingly different depending on where they live.
A study published in the journal Mindfulness compared how college students in India and the US define and use mindfulness in their everyday lives. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati and CHRIST University in Bengaluru surveyed just over a thousand students, split almost evenly between the two countries, asking them to describe mindfulness in their own words and explain how they use it to manage everyday challenges.
Both groups shared some common ground. Students in India and the US described mindfulness as a way of being present, staying calm and observing thoughts without judgement, echoing the core ideas found in both Eastern spiritual traditions and modern Western psychology.
Beyond these shared foundations, however, clear cultural differences emerged. Indian students were more likely to describe meditation as their main mindfulness practice, reflecting the country’s long history with contemplative traditions rooted in Hinduism, Buddhism and yoga. American students, by contrast, more often turned to physical activity, journaling and reflective exercises, alongside spiritual or religious practices such as prayer.
One especially interesting finding was that American students frequently described mindfulness in terms of awareness of other people and their surroundings, something that barely featured in the Indian responses. Researchers noted this was somewhat unexpected, given that Indian society is generally considered more collectivist. They suggested this might reflect how social awareness is already deeply embedded and taken for granted in Indian culture, so it did not need to be spelled out.
The study also looked at what gets in the way of mindfulness practice. American students reported more emotional and psychological struggles, such as anxiety and self doubt, as barriers, while Indian students were more likely to point to simple distraction as their biggest obstacle. When it came to overcoming these hurdles, American students leaned towards self care, positive thinking and reaching out to others, whereas Indian students favoured self regulation and quietly redirecting their own thoughts.
The researchers believe the findings have real implications for how universities and mental health services support student wellbeing. Rather than applying a one size fits all approach to mindfulness based programmes, the study argues that institutions should let students define mindfulness in ways that reflect their own cultural background and personal experience.
With mental health concerns rising among young people in both countries, the study adds weight to calls for more culturally sensitive approaches to student wellbeing support, rather than assuming techniques developed in one setting will translate seamlessly to another.
