Cultivating Peace and Happiness for Children with Disabilities and Caregivers through Buddhist Practices
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Abstract
This study examines the potential of core Buddhist practices, mindfulness, loving-kindness, and compassion, to enhance the well-being of children with disabilities and their caregivers. Families of children with special needs frequently contend with heightened stress, social stigma, financial strain, and obstacles to education and health care. Integrating traditional Buddhist mental-health concepts with contemporary therapeutic models, specifically Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Gilbert’s Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), and Neff’s self-compassion framework. The study reviews extant scholarship in Buddhist psychology and mindfulness interventions using a qualitative, literature-based approach. It conducts in-depth case analyses of community programs led by the Buddhamahametta Foundation. These case studies illustrate how structured meditation practices and community outreach initiatives translate theoretical principles into pragmatic support systems for children and caregivers.
Findings indicate that regular mindfulness practice fosters greater emotional stability and reduces anxiety for caregivers and children alike. Loving-kindness meditation emerges as a powerful tool for deepening familial connection and alleviating caregiver burnout. Moreover, community-driven Buddhist projects demonstrate effective models for embedding these practices within educational, social, and health-care settings. The synthesis of Buddhist teachings with modern psychological paradigms offers a holistic framework that addresses the multifaceted challenges faced by these families.
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