<![CDATA[The escalating prevalence of stress, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation in an increasingly digitized society underscores the critical need for technological interventions that support psychological well-being. While the field of affective and positive computing has made significant strides in algorithmic development and technical efficacy, a holistic understanding of user perception and lived experience remains fragmented within the existing body of literature. This paper addresses this gap by presenting a narrative synthesis of ten seminal studies that explore the human centric dimensions of engaging with emotional well-being technologies. Our review reveals that user perceptions are intricately shaped by three recurring themes including the perceived credibility of a system’s emotion-recognition capabilities, concerns surrounding data privacy and control, and the fundamental distinction between viewing technology as a tool for personal empowerment versus a replacement for human connection. These themes collectively highlight a critical divergence between the technical promise and the psychological realities of affective technology. In conclusion, this synthesis provides a nuanced understanding of user attitudes that transcends purely algorithmic metrics. It offers valuable theoretical contributions to the field of human-computer interaction and provides practical implications for designing more empathetic, transparent, and ethically-aligned digital mental health tools that genuinely foster resilience and positive human experience.]]>
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