By Khin Maung Myint
WHEN we talk about child mental health today, we often turn to Western thinkers such as Jean Piaget, Abraham Maslow, and Erik Erikson. Their theories have shaped modern education, parenting, and therapy by helping us understand how children grow, what they need emotionally and cognitively, and how best to support them.
Yet long before modern psychology emerged, the East – particularly Buddhist psychology – had already developed a profound understanding of the human mind. When we place these two traditions side by side, the contrasts are fascinating, and the overlaps surprisingly powerful.
The Western Lens: Helping Children Adapt to the World
Western psychology primarily focuses on helping children function well within their social and cultural environment. Its goals often include helping children to:
· Adjust and thrive in family, school, and peer settings
· Develop a stable sense of identity (Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development)
· Achieve well-being by meeting emotional, psychological, and physical needs (Maslow’s hierarchy)
· Understand, manage, and treat difficulties such as anxiety, depression, trauma, or ADHD
The emphasis is on developmental stages, learning processes, and the interaction between external influences (parents, teachers, social expectations) and internal processes (thoughts, emotions, behaviour).
In short, Western psychology asks:
How can we help the child become a healthy, capable individual in society?
The Eastern Lens (Buddhism): Liberating the Mind
Buddhist psychology begins from a different place. Rather than focusing primarily on social success or achievement, it asks a deeper question:
Why do humans suffer – and how can suffering be reduced at its root?
From this perspective, mental well-being involves:
· Understanding Dukkha (the universal experience of dissatisfaction or suffering)
· Recognising Anattā (No-Self) – the idea that clinging to a fixed, permanent identity creates distress
· Seeing how craving, aversion, and ignorance fuel emotional suffering
· Cultivating wisdom, compassion, and clarity through mindfulness and meditation
Applied gently and age-appropriately, these ideas help children learn that thoughts and emotions are experiences, not definitions of who they are. A child can feel angry, anxious, or sad – without being those emotions.
Here, the goal is not just adaptation to the world, but inner freedom and resilience, regardless of circumstances.
Where East and West Meet
Despite their different starting points and ultimate aims, modern psychology increasingly recognises how well these traditions complement one another.
Key meeting points include:
· Mindfulness (Sati):
Now widely used in schools and therapy to improve attention, emotional regulation, and stress management.
· Compassion (Metta):
Encouraging kindness toward oneself and others, reducing shame, bullying, and emotional isolation.
· P r e s e n t - m o m e n t awareness:
Helping children worry less about the future, ruminate less about the past, and feel safer in the “now”.
Approaches such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) are clear examples of East–West integration in clinical practice.
Why This Matters for Children Today
Children today grow up in a world of rapid change, academic pressure, social comparison, and digital overstimulation. A purely performance-based model of mental health is no longer enough.
By drawing from both traditions:
· Western psychology provides structure, assessment tools, and evidence-based interventions.
· Eastern wisdom offers practices that nurture calmness, self-awareness, emotional balance, and compassion from an early age.
Together, they help children not only cope with the world, but flourish within it—developing strength without rigidity, confidence without ego, and kindness alongside competence.
References & Further Reading
Western Psychology
1. Piaget, J (1952). The Origins of Intelligence in Children. International Universities Press.
2. Erikson, E H (1963). Childhood and Society. Norton.
3. Maslow, A H (1943). “A Theory of Human Motivation.” Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396.
Buddhist & Eastern Psychology
4. Rahula, W (1959). What the Buddha Taught. Grove Press.
5. Nyanaponika Thera (1973). The Heart of Buddhist Meditation. Weiser Books.
6. Dalai Lama & Ekman, P. (2008). Emotional Awareness. Henry Holt.
Integration of East and West
7. Kabat-Zinn, J (1990). Full Catastrophe Living. Bantam.
8. Segal, Z, Williams, J M G, & Teasdale, J (2013). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression. Guilford Press.
9. Gilbert, P (2010). Compassion Focused Therapy. Routledge.
