Abstract Chronic stress remains a critical public health concern, yet emerging evidence suggests that positive affect (PA) serves as a vital adaptive resource during prolonged adversity. This systematic review synthesizes 42 peer-reviewed studies (2000–2025) to examine the mechanisms through which PA facilitates coping and resilience . Findings indicate that PA co-occurs with distress and is primarily generated through meaning-focused coping strategies, such as benefit-finding and goal reordering . Physiologically, PA supports the "undoing hypothesis" by accelerating cardiovascular and HPA axis recovery . Furthermore, PA builds enduring psychological capital and independently predicts reduced long-term morbidity and mortality . In the Arab context, religious values and social solidarity emerge as culturally specific pathways for PA generation . These results underscore the necessity of integrating positive emotion cultivation into stress interventions, emphasizing culturally sensitive adaptations for Arab populations to enhance psychological well-being and health outcomes.