Abstract / Description
Mental health promotion in Iran requires frameworks that move beyond individual-centered and symptom-focused approaches and account for cultural, social, and institutional contexts. Emerging evidence from Iran and the Middle East highlights the need for integrative models that reflect these multi-level determinants. This study employed a conceptual synthesis of recent empirical, review, and theoretical literature (2000-2025) relevant to mental health promotion in Iran and comparable Middle Eastern settings. Evidence was iteratively analyzed to identify recurring mechanisms and structural levels shaping mental health outcomes. The synthesis revealed a consistent multi-level structure encompassing individual, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural domains. Cognitive-emotional regulation emerged as a central cross-cutting mechanism linking contextual stressors to mental health outcomes, while family support, institutional responsiveness, and cultural meaning systems functioned as key moderators of vulnerability and resilience. The proposed culturally integrated model conceptualizes mental health as a dynamic, multi-layered process. This framework offers a theoretically grounded basis for culturally responsive research, policy, and mental health promotion strategies in Iran.