University students are experiencing increasing mental health challenges, underscoring the importance of pedagogical approaches that foster both academic growth and well-being. Drawing on integrated analyses of pre- and post-course surveys, reflective journals, and focus group data, this project investigates whether a Contemplative Reading (CR) intervention embedded in two bachelor-level courses—each engaging distinct literary and philosophical traditions—can strengthen students’ Perspectival Agility (PA), a capacity linked to psychological resilience and mental health.

Background information

Most Humanities courses cultivate forms of reading oriented toward engaging complex texts either extractively—retrieving information—or critically—exposing underlying assumptions and ideological frameworks. While both approaches are valuable, they often leave limited space for sustained reflection and for processes of subject formation and personal integration. Contemplative Reading invites students to engage texts slowly and dialogically rather than instrumentally. The practice incorporates intentional pauses for reflective writing and discussion, encouraging deeper engagement. By deliberately slowing the pace of reading, CR may surface layers of meaning that might otherwise remain unnoticed. Previous research suggests that contemplative practices foster empathy, openness to dialogue, and the integration of unfamiliar perspectives. The intervention consists of four CR sessions embedded in two bachelor courses, Asian Philosophies and Literature and the Meaning of Life. The project explores whether CR strengthens Perspectival Agility, that is, the capacity to engage multiple perspectives with openness and without defensiveness. By fostering cognitive and psychological flexibility as well as perspective-taking, CR may contribute to deeper learning while simultaneously supporting student well-being.

Aims

This project addresses the following research questions:

• Does the practice of Contemplative Reading enhance students’ Perspectival Agility?
• Does CR have differential effects on PA when applied to Indigenous Asian texts (e.g., Daoist and Buddhist works) compared to other literary or philosophical texts?

The central hypothesis is that CR strengthens PA by cultivating cognitive flexibility, psychological flexibility, and perspective-taking capacities.

Project description

To investigate the research questions, the study draws on multiple data sources, including pre- and post-course surveys assessing cognitive flexibility, psychological flexibility, and perspective-taking to measure changes in Perspectival Agility; reflective journals completed by students after each Contemplative Reading session; end-of-course open-ended responses capturing students’ overall experiences with CR; and semi-structured focus groups (two per course), conducted by the course coordinators and informed by themes emerging from the end-of-course survey. Together, these methods provide both quantitative and qualitative insights into the potential impact of CR on students’ perspectival development and well-being.

References

• Flavel, S., & Hall, B. (2023). Perspectival agility. In S. Flavel & C. Robbiano (Eds.), Key concepts in world philosophies: A toolkit for philosophers(pp. 121–132).
• Goldin, D., Alvarez, L. M., & van Harscher, H. (2025). Cognitive flexibility: What mental health professionals need to know. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 63(4), 20–27.
• Gorenflo, D. W., & Crano, W. D. (1998). The multiple perspectives inventory: A measure of perspective-taking. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 57(3), 163–177.
• Shapiro, S. L., Brown, K. W., & Astin, J. (2011). Toward the integration of meditation into higher education: A review of research evidence. Teachers College Record, 113(3), 493–528.
• Zajonc, A. (2016). Contemplation in education. In K. A. Schonert-Reichl & R. W. Roeser (Eds.), Handbook of mindfulness in education(pp. 17–28).