UBUNTU: The Spirit of African Communalism: An Exploration of Community and Perceptions of Mental Health in Cameroon
Publication Date
Spring 2025
Abstract
This month-long research project focused on elements of African collectivism through the ubuntu philosophy in Cameroonian society as it relates to perceptions of mental health. Taking a mixed-methods approach, questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. The Metzian Ubuntu Inventory developed by Terblanché-Greef et al. (2023) was used to measure ubuntu. Results show that participants were heavily in alignment with the cultural values outlined by the ubuntu philosophy. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts was used to analyze perceptions of mental health in Cameroon. Five major themes of, defining mental health, stress relieving methods, prosocial behavior & communication, the mental health taboo in Cameroon, and personal stress regulation & emotional regulation, emerged from the data. The themes induced from the interviews suggest a strong association between the values of ubuntu and mental health perceptions in Cameroon. In all, the findings prove a need for more culturally competent approaches in mental healthcare in Africa as well as more context-specific models.
Disciplines
African Languages and Societies | Arts and Humanities | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Koné, Aïssata, "UBUNTU: The Spirit of African Communalism: An Exploration of Community and Perceptions of Mental Health in Cameroon" (2025). Cameroon: Development and Social Change. 6.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/cmr/6