<![CDATA[Research Problem: Education policy reforms can generate unintended psychosocial consequences for students, particularly when curriculum changes, digital learning, assessment demands, and institutional adjustments interact with existing social inequalities. However, research connecting education reform, student mental health, and social dynamics in South Asia remains fragmented. Research Purposes: This study examines the intersection of education policy reform, student mental health, and social dynamics, combining regional research trends with empirical evidence from Bangladesh. Research Methods: A mixed-methods design integrated Scopus-based bibliometric analysis of 96 documents published between 2001 and 2026, survey data from 278 students, and thematic analysis of teacher interviews. Results and Discussion: Bibliometric findings indicate rapid growth after 2020, with 50 documents published during 2024–2026 and 1,171 citations, highlighting an emerging research area connecting curriculum reform, digital learning, stress, assessment, and student well-being. Empirical findings show that 64.4% of students identified difficulty adapting to new procedures as the main stressor, while 52.2% reported increased stress, 55.4% increased anxiety, 61.5% negative mental-health effects, and 64.0% negative impacts on social relationships. Qualitative findings identify ineffective training, unclear assessment, digital inequality, teacher workload, weakened peer relations, and employment uncertainty as key factors shaping these outcomes. Research Implications and Contributions: The study demonstrates the need to approach education reform through a psychosocial and equity-oriented perspective. It contributes integrated evidence linking policy reform with student well-being and social dynamics, while recommending mental-health-sensitive reforms supported by equitable digital access, effective teacher training, and institutional support.]]>
