The Impact of Mindfulness Education on Learning Motivation and Academic Achievement among High School Students in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam: A Mixed-Methods Study

In the rapidly developing Binh Duong province, rising academic demands have heightened concerns over the mental health and motivation of secondary school students. This study evaluated the effects of an eight-week mindfulness-based curriculum delivered to 312 tenth- and eleventh-grade students from three public schools in Thu Dau Mot City and Tan Uyen Town. Employing a mixed-methods design, we used standardized instruments to assess mindfulness, academic motivation, perceived stress, anxiety, and grade point averages (Mathematics, Literature, English), alongside semi-structured interviews with students and teachers. Post-intervention, the experimental group showed substantial increases in motivation and academic performance, coupled with marked reductions in stress and anxiety; the control group exhibited minimal change. Quantitative data revealed significant gains in motivation indices, improved end-of-semester GPAs, and over a 25% reduction in stress and anxiety. Qualitative feedback supported these findings, highlighting enhanced attention, emotional regulation, and classroom participation. Overall, results suggest that integrating mindfulness into the school day can bolster both psychological well-being and academic success in Vietnamese secondary education. Based on these outcomes, the study recommends broader adoption of mindfulness programs, targeted teacher training, integration into life skills curricula, and piloting an extended 16-week model to evaluate sustained benefits. These measures could help ensure lasting improvements in student well-being and performance amid the evolving educational landscape.