The Development Process of Cultivating Gratitude for Multicultural Practitioners by Loving Kindness Meditation via Zoom Online of Wat Thai Buddharam, Brisbane, Australia

บทคัดย่อ

The dissertation aimed to achieve three objectives as follows: 1) To study contexts and problem of cultivating gratitude in multicultural practitioners via Zoom Online of Wat Thai Buddharam, Brisbane, Australia 2) To study the Loving Kindness Meditation for promoting cultivating gratitude for multicultural practitioners via Zoom Online of Wat Thai Buddharam, Brisbane, Australia. And 3) To develop and present the process of cultivating gratitude for multicultural practitioners by Loving Kindness Meditation via Zoom Online of Wat Thai Buddharam, Brisbane, Australia.The research findings revealed that: 1) Cultivating gratitude among Thai practitioners living abroad and Australian youth faces key challenges, including cultural differences, materialism, weak family bonds, and the influence of individualism. These factors contribute to diminished moral values, especially a decline in respect toward parents and benefactors. 2) The Zoom-based Loving-Kindness Meditation program organized by Wat Thai Buddharam promotes love, understanding, forgiveness, and expressions of gratitude toward parents, benefactors, and the community. It enhances self-awareness, emotional resilience, and strengthens familial relationships. 3) The developed MWL (Mindfulness Wisdom and Loving-Kindness) process delivered via Zoom includes mindfulness training, loving-kindness meditation, forgiveness practices, reflection on parental gratitude, and expressive activities. This process effectively fosters positive behavioral change and can be sustainably applied in daily life.This mixed-methods study was conducted in three phases: qualitative exploration of challenges, qualitative study of Loving-Kindness practices, and a quasi-experimental pre- and post-assessment. Nineteen multicultural participants-Thai expatriates and Australian residents-joined the MWL program via Zoom. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Participants came from diverse backgrounds, including the private sector, health professions, business owners, retirees, and homemakers. Additionally, eight key informants-comprising Vipassana masters, scholars, and mindfulness trainers-were selected based on their expertise in meditation and the MWL approach to provide validation and insights into the program's structure. Quantitative data from the Peaceful Questionnaire - 25 Item Form (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.96) and qualitative analysis confirmed significant improvements in peaceful well-being, gratitude, and emotional connection. The study highlights the effectiveness of Buddhist-based online meditation in promoting moral development, cross-cultural understanding, and emotional resilience in multicultural settings.