Thought Management According to Buddhist Psychology of Working-Age Women

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1. study thoughts and thought management based on Buddhist psychology; 2.examine the approaches to thought management according to Buddhist psychology among working-age women; and 3. propose a Buddhist psychology–based framework for thought management among working-age women. A mixed-methods research design was employed. The quantitative phase involved 400 working women in Bangkok, selected using Taro Yamane’s sampling formula. The research instrument was a questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.85 and an item–objective congruence (IOC) index of 0.98. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The qualitative phase consisted of in-depth interviews with 10 key informants.

The findings revealed that: 1. Thoughts, as elements of saṅkhārakkhandha (the aggregate of mental formations), arise from the integration of mental processes involving experience, memory, sensory perception through the six sense bases (āyatana), and emotions. Thought management according to yonisomanasikāra (wise reflection) can be categorized into three main approaches: 1) problem-solving through the framework of the Four Noble Truths, 2) mindful awareness of benefits, harms, and possible solutions, and 3) cultivating present-moment awareness. 2. The overall level of psychological thinking among working women was moderate (x̅ = 3.32), while thought management based on Buddhist psychology across all three approaches was high (x̅ = 3.54). Variables such as age, income, and meditation experience were found to significantly influence differences in thought management at the statistical level. 3. The study proposed a comprehensive framework for thought management grounded in Buddhist psychology, consisting of six interrelated components: 1) thought awareness, 2) thought organization, 3) management of negative thoughts, 4) thought balancing, 5) translation of thoughts into action, and 6) reflective evaluation of thoughts.