A Psychological Model of Wada-Style Youten Thinking: A Cultural Emotion Regulation Framework Integrating Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior

This paper proposes the concept of Yoten Thinking, a cognitive reframing method developed in Japan that focuses on transforming negative interpretations into constructive perspectives. Unlike conventional positive thinking approaches that emphasize forced optimism, Yoten Thinking encourages individuals to reinterpret difficult experiences and identify meaningful or beneficial aspects within them. The framework is built upon practical techniques such as “finding what went well,” emotional reframing, and reconstructing personal narratives. These methods are widely used in coaching, counseling, and personal development contexts. This paper introduces the conceptual structure of Yoten Thinking and discusses its relationship with existing psychological theories such as cognitive reappraisal, metacognition, and positive psychology. The goal is to provide a theoretical foundation for future empirical research and to explore the potential of Yoten Thinking as a scalable mental resilience method applicable across cultures.