South Africa's escalating mental health crisis, compounded by limited access to culturally responsive care, calls for innovative and contextually grounded interventions. While large language models show considerable promise for mental health support, their predominantly Western-centric training data limit cultural and linguistic applicability in African contexts. This study introduces a proof-of-concept framework that integrates cognitive behavioral therapy with the African philosophy of Ubuntu to create a culturally sensitive, emotionally intelligent, AI-driven mental health dialogue system. Guided by a design science research methodology, the framework applies both deep theoretical and therapeutic adaptations as well as surface-level linguistic and communicative cultural adaptations. Key CBT techniques, including behavioral activation and cognitive restructuring, were reinterpreted through Ubuntu principles that emphasize communal well-being, spiritual grounding, and interconnectedness. A culturally adapted dataset was developed through iterative processes of language simplification, spiritual contextualization, and Ubuntu-based reframing. The fine-tuned model was evaluated through expert-informed case studies, employing UniEval for conversational quality assessment alongside additional measures of CBT reliability and cultural linguistic alignment. Results demonstrate that the model effectively engages in empathetic, context-aware dialogue aligned with both therapeutic and cultural objectives. Although real-time end-user testing has not yet been conducted, the model underwent rigorous review and supervision by domain specialist clinical psychologists. The findings highlight the potential of culturally embedded emotional intelligence to enhance the contextual relevance, inclusivity, and effectiveness of AI-driven mental health interventions across African settings.

翻译：南非日益严重的心理健康危机，加之难以获得文化适应性照护，亟需创新且基于具体情境的干预措施。虽然大型语言模型在心理健康支持方面展现出巨大潜力，但其训练数据主要源自西方，限制了其在非洲语境下的文化和语言适用性。本研究引入一个概念验证框架，该框架将认知行为疗法与非洲Ubuntu哲学相融合，以创建一个文化敏感、具备情感智能、由人工智能驱动的心理健康对话系统。该框架遵循设计科学研究方法，既应用了深层次的理论和治疗适应性调整，也进行了表层的语言和交际文化适应性调整。关键的CBT技术，包括行为激活和认知重构，均通过强调集体福祉、精神根基和相互关联性的Ubuntu原则进行了重新诠释。通过语言简化、精神情境化和基于Ubuntu理念重构的迭代过程，开发了一个文化适应性数据集。微调后的模型通过专家参与的案例研究进行评估，采用UniEval进行对话质量评估，并辅以CBT可靠性和文化语言一致性方面的额外衡量指标。结果表明，该模型能够有效地进行富有同理心、情境感知的对话，并与治疗目标和文化目标保持一致。尽管尚未进行实时终端用户测试，但该模型已接受了领域专家临床心理学家的严格审查和监督。研究结果凸显了文化嵌入的情感智能在提升人工智能驱动的心理健康干预措施于非洲环境中的情境相关性、包容性和有效性方面的潜力。