Cognitive-Environmental Coherence Theory (CECT): A novel framework for culturally-embedded mental health

Abstract

This study introduces the Cognitive-Environmental Coherence Theory (CECT), a novel theoretical framework redefining mental health as an emergent outcome of dynamic alignment between internal cognitive schemas and external environmental structures. Grounded in cultural psychology and systems theory, CECT challenges biomedical individualism by emphasizing culturally embedded mental processes and ecological congruence. Cross-national evidence from six Asian countries supports the model, demonstrating that schema-environment coherence predicts resilience and psychological well-being, while misalignment exacerbates distress. CECT offers a scientifically grounded, culturally responsive paradigm with transformative implications for global mental health research, policy, and practice.