Open Access

REVIEW

The Association between Mindfulness and Learning Burnout among University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Zhimei Cai^1,2,*, Faridah Mydin Kutty^1,*, Muhammad Syawal Amran¹

1 Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia
2 School of Marxism, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou, 350118, China

* Corresponding Authors: Zhimei Cai. Email: ; Faridah Mydin Kutty. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Mental Health and Subjective Well-being of Students: New Perspectives in Theory and Practice)

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2025, 27(6), 753-769. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2025.064983

Received 28 February 2025; Accepted 03 June 2025; Issue published 30 June 2025

Abstract

Background: considering the significant issue of learning burnout among university students, it is essential to investigate the connection between mindfulness and learning burnout. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to thoroughly examine the direct and indirect relationships between mindfulness and learning burnout. Methods: a comprehensive literature search was conducted in Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases until 07 July 2024. A comprehensive literature review analysis of 19 articles was included, which identified three dimensions of learning burnout: emotions, behaviors, and outcomes, determined the indirect and direct relationships between mindfulness and learning burnout, and outlined the indirect relationship between mindfulness and learning burnout. This meta-analysis incorporated data from nine studies, encompassing a total of 5227 university students experiencing learning burnout. Results: the findings revealed a significant negative correlation between mindfulness and learning burnout, with a correlation coefficient of r = −0.396, (98.6% CI [−0.521, −0.272]). Additionally, a notable negative relationship was observed between mindfulness and emotional exhaustion, characterized by a correlation coefficient of r = −0.281, (98.0% CI [−0.438, −0.123]). It also found that mindfulness indirectly influenced learning burnout by other factors (such as self-efficacy, social support, and so on). However, the empirical analysis of the indirect relationship is not supported by sufficient meta-data. Conclusion: this study indicates that there is a significant and negative direct relationship or some indirect correlation between learning burnout and mindfulness, which may affect learning burnout through internal and external factors. These results also highlight the urgent need for a more in-depth exploration of the indirect mechanisms influencing the relationship between mindfulness and learning burnout.

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Supplementary Material

Supplementary Material File

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