Exploring Cultural Influences in the Associations Between Emotion Regulation and Mental Health: A Systematic Review Comparing East Asian and Western Cultural Contexts

Culture shapes how individuals perceive, experience and regulate emotions. Emotion regulation literature, which informs current understandings of emotional disorders, is largely guided by Western frameworks. This review aimed to systematically examine cultural influences on emotion regulation use, and associated mental health outcomes, among individuals from East Asian and Western cultural contexts. The literature search was conducted across five databases in June 2024; the final review included 54 articles. First, findings revealed that East Asian individuals tended to engage more frequently in rumination and avoidance, endorse higher levels of secondary control appraisals (i.e., adjusting oneself to accommodate situational needs) and evaluate the self less favourably than those with Western cultural backgrounds. Second, evidence regarding cultural differences in suppression and reappraisal use was inconclusive. Third, associations between putatively maladaptive regulation strategies (e.g., suppression, avoidance and rumination) and mental health difficulties were less pronounced, absent or at times beneficial among East Asians. Fourth, perceived lack of secondary control was found to have more negative impacts on the mental health of East Asians. Finally, emerging research suggests that the use and effectiveness of emotion regulation strategies need to be considered in relation to individuals' endorsement of specific cultural values. In sum, this review highlights the importance of considering cultural influences on emotional processes, with key implications for clinical practices that target emotion regulation. Future research needs to explore within-strategy nuances (e.g., regulation for specific emotional valence) and strategies that are informed by East Asian cultural values (e.g., acceptance) to advance cross-cultural understanding of emotion regulation.