西方的情緒研究與臨床心理實務指出，情緒表達壓抑不利於個體的身心健康，且有礙人際關係的發展。然而，在華人社會裡，卻希望個體要能克制情緒不要任意表達，以免破壞人際關係。情緒表達壓抑在華人社會人際互動中所存在的心理現象，其背後的原委值得探究。本研究旨在瞭解人際互動中情緒表達壓抑的現象與原因，研究範圍聚焦在大學生的人際脈絡，採取質化研究取向，運用個別訪談與情緒札記來蒐集資料，共訪談24位大學生，另外也蒐集22篇情緒札記，參考紮根理論的方法進行資料分析。研究結果發現：情緒表達壓抑的原因相當複雜多樣，壓抑負向情緒表達的原因歸納有：「維持和諧關係」、「理性克制衝動」、「避免場面尷尬」、「考量利害後果」、「符合倫理禮節」、「表達無濟於事」以及「不知如何表達」等。而壓抑正向情緒表達的原因，則有「避免過於炫耀」、「擔心嫉妒惹厭」、「考量對方感受」和「不習慣表達」等。人際互動中的情緒是否表達或者壓抑，端賴與互動對象的關係品質以及當下的情境。情緒表達有助於問題的溝通與解決，但不可忽略的是，情緒表達在人際互動中也是一種冒險，表達不當則有害人際關係，所以處於說與不說、露與藏之間，的確有許多層面的考量。在講究關係的社會裡，「人前留一線，日後好相見」是人際互動中情緒表達壓抑的一個貼切寫照。

Researchers and practitioners alike have noted that emotion suppression has been associated with poor psychological and physical health, and negative social consequences. Nevertheless, Chinese culture encourages emotional suppression in circumstances where there is in an effort to preserve relationships. Harmonious social relationships are of utmost importance in Chinese culture, forbearance has been considered as a common and valued emotional regulation strategy in interpersonal conflicts. This study attempted to understand why people suppress their emotion expression. The scope focused on college students’ interpersonal context. A qualitative approach using semi-structured interview and emotion journal was applied to get data. In addition to analyzing 22 emotional journals, there were 24 undergraduates participated to interview. Results showed there were many reasons for suppressing the negative emotions, including maintaining harmonious relations, avoiding the negative consequence of expression, controlling impulse rationally, adhering to ethical etiquette, emotion expression is useless, and poor in emotional expression. The suppression of positive emotion expression were due to avoiding show off too much, worrying about others’ jealousy, considering the feelings of others, and being not used to express. In addition, whether people express emotions or suppress them, depends on the communal relationship and immediate situation. The stronger the relationship, the more possible to express the emotions. In many contexts, expressive suppression appears to be a risk form of emotion regulation, but in some of contexts, the outcome may well be worthwhile to take the risk. In light of these analysis, this study suggest that, in Chinese culture, the critical question becomes not whether it is generally better to express or suppress emotion, but when, where, and with whom it is advantageous to suppress rather than express one’s emotions.