Causal Attribution and Emotion Expression of Suffering Among Southeast Asian Indigenous Peoples: A Systematic Review Study.

This article systematically reviews empirical studies on cognition and emotional expression related to suffering among indigenous ethnic minorities in Southeast Asia (SEA). Analyzing 11 studies from Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand, it identifies two main causal attributions of suffering: supernatural causes (e.g., spirits, curses) and negative impacts from interactions with outsiders (e.g., displacement, environmental degradation). Emotional expressions of suffering among these groups are primarily implicit and embodied, manifesting through physical gestures, communal rituals, somatic symptoms, and behavioral adaptations, reflecting strong-ties societal cognitive styles. The findings align with ecological rationality theory, highlighting the external-oriented, context-dependent thinking and nonverbal emotional expression characteristic of SEA indigenous peoples, and underscore the need for culturally sensitive psychological approaches that recognize diverse modes of suffering and healing.