Abstract

ANCIENT PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION AND MODERN SCHOOL AGE CHILD'S MENTAL WELL-BEING: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Dr. Pratik Kadu, *Dr. Sachin Prakash Gwalani, Dr. Pranav Kamathe

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Mental disorders among school age children and adolescents have become one of the serious public health concerns with growing reports of anxiety, school-related stresses, depression, lack of emotional regulation, inattention, sleeping difficulty, excessive screen-time, sedentariness, unhealthy dietary intake, behavioral and social difficulties. The conventional school-based education system often focuses mainly on academics and corrective treatment of symptoms without much emphasis on mental well-being, character building, healthy life style, emotional skills and resiliency. Ancient Indian education system with its holistic approach to schooling through the traditional Gurukula system, Yoga, value-based education and Ayurveda lifestyle principles emphasized integrated development of body, mind, intellect, character and consciousness. Objective: To systematically review scientific literature on the impact of holistic school-based education approach integrating yoga, spirituality, mindfulness and contemplation techniques, value based education and ayurvedic life style principles on school age children mental health. Method: Narrative integrative literature review approach was followed for this paper. Relevant literature was obtained from Pubmed, Google scholar, Scopus indexed articles, reports from WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, and ancient Indian scriptures such as Caraka samhita and Yogasutras. Keywords used were "school mental health"; "school anxiety", "school-based yoga", "yoga adolescents", "mindfulness in schools"; "gratitude intervention adolescents", "spirituality adolescent mental health", "Ayurveda lifestyle education", "Dinacharya"; "Sadvritta", "sleep adolescents", "screen time mental health" and "health promoting schools". Studies, reviews and policy documents relevant to child and adolescent mental well-being at school were reviewed. Results: Scientific evidence indicates the utility of schools as venues for universally targeted mental health prevention activities. School-based yoga has potential to improve stress, emotional control, attention, resiliency and psychological well-being. While there is growing literature on school-based yoga and mental health, quality of the research studies, study period, intervention protocols, and outcome measures vary considerably. Similarly, interventions based on mindfulness, gratitude, social-emotional learning and compassion meditation have shown benefit in reducing stress and promoting positive well-being. Ayurvedic lifestyle principles including Dinacharya, Nidra, Ahara, Vyayama, and Sadvritta have relevance to contemporary mental well-being principles of adequate sleep, good nutrition, physical activity, emotional well-being and healthy daily routines. The traditional education approach in ancient India emphasized discipline, teacher-child relationship, communal schooling, nature exposure, and healthy lifestyles, all relevant to holistic development of the children. Conclusion: A holistic approach to schooling using yoga, meditation, value education, emotional literacy, ayurvedic life style principles, nature based education and service to society has promise as an effective preventive strategy to promote child's mental well-being. However, rigorous multi-centric randomized clinical trials, standardized intervention protocol, long term outcome studies, cultural adaptation and scientific measurement of mental and academic outcomes would be necessary before drawing definite conclusion.

Keywords: Ancient Indian education, child mental health, school-based yoga, ayurveda, dinacharya, sadvritta, spirituality, holistic education, emotional regulation, adolescent well-being.