The Impact of Emotional Expression on Interpersonal Relationship Quality and Mental Health

Abstract

As an important externalization of the human emotional system, emotional expression plays a fundamental role in regulating an individual's psychological state and constructing interpersonal relationships. In recent years, the impact mechanism of emotional expression on mental health and interpersonal interaction has attracted widespread attention. However, existing research lacks systematic integration and in-depth exploration of mechanistic models. This article analyzes the psychological mechanisms and behavioral patterns of emotional expression based on three dimensions: cognitive processing, individual differences, and regulation strategies. It further explores the symbolic construction function of emotional expression in interpersonal interactions, the impact of expression consistency on relationship stability, and the regulation paths of empathy feedback in interaction contexts. In terms of mental health, the article focuses on the interactive mechanism between cognitive load accumulation caused by expressive suppression, emotional externalization, and psychological resilience, as well as the constructive value of expressive ability as a psychological resource for health levels. The study constructs a "expressive ability—cognitive regulation—emotional feedback—mental health" chain model, providing theoretical support for understanding the dual functions of emotional expression in social interactions and psychological regulation.