Trust and Emotional Authenticity in AI-Mediated Mental Health Support in Nigeria

Uka Nwagbara; Williams Dennis

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Section

Research Articles

Issue

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2025)

How to Cite

Nwagbara, U., & Dennis, W. (2025). Trust and Emotional Authenticity in AI-Mediated Mental Health Support in Nigeria. Social Science Insights and Applications, 1(1), 32-49. https://journals.explorerpress.com/index.php/ssia/article/view/27

Authors

Uka Uka Nwagbara*

The Beyond Infinite Initiative, Calabar, Nigeria

Williams Uduakubong Dennis

The Beyond Infinite Initiative, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

The exponential growth of artificial intelligence (AI) offers new opportunities for mental health support, particularly in resource-limited settings like Nigeria, where less than 10% of the population accesses adequate care. This study investigates how Nigerians informally use general-purpose AI assistants for emotional self-regulation and mental health support in a context shaped by stigma, spiritual explanations of distress, and infrastructural limitations. Using a critical realist framework and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with 17 demographically diverse participants aged 21–62. Thematic analysis revealed three core dynamics: (1) AI as a functional “first line” emotional aid during distress, (2) AI as a surrogate confidant enabling expression in stigmatized environments, and (3) ambivalence surrounding AI’s trustworthiness and access in a low-resource context. Participants sought emotional triage, journaling, and non-judgemental engagement, often using AI as a buffer against culturally entrenched silence. While many valued AI’s 24/7 availability and anonymity, concerns about emotional authenticity, data privacy, and inadequate digital literacy were prevalent. The study finds that while AI cannot replicate therapeutic depth, it fills a culturally significant gap as a pragmatic tool in emotionally restrictive environments. Importantly, users balance functionality with skepticism, revealing a nuanced trust calculus shaped by both psychological need and structural barriers. This work offers new insight into how AI is locally repurposed for informal mental health care in non-Western settings. It challenges assumptions about universal design and underscores the need for culturally responsive, ethically grounded AI tools that complement, not replace, human support.

Keywords:

artificial intelligence, mental health, emotional regulation, chatbots, informal care

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