# Tailored Emotional LLM-Supporter: Enhancing Cultural Sensitivity

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.07902 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.07902/

## Key facts

- Cited by 5 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 21 of its 55 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 11 Aug 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 21 of 21)

- [The Llama 3 Herd of Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.21783/) (2024)
- [LLaMA: Open and Efficient Foundation Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.13971/) (2023)
- [Evaluating Large Language Models Trained on Code](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2107.03374/) (2021)
- [Photorealistic Text-to-Image Diffusion Models with Deep Language Understanding](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2205.11487/) (2022)
- [G-Eval: NLG Evaluation using GPT-4 with Better Human Alignment](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.16634/) (2023)
- [A Survey on LLM-as-a-Judge](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.15594/) (2024)
- [JudgeBench: A Benchmark for Evaluating LLM-based Judges](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.12784/) (2024)
- [Towards Emotional Support Dialog Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.01144/) (2021)
- [Investigating Cultural Alignment of Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.13231/) (2024)
- [Aya Expanse: Combining Research Breakthroughs for a New Multilingual Frontier](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.04261/) (2024)
- [The Ghost in the Machine has an American accent: value conflict in GPT-3](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.07785/) (2022)
- [Expressing stigma and inappropriate responses prevents LLMs from safely replacing mental health providers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.18412/) (2025)
- [SweetieChat: A Strategy-Enhanced Role-playing Framework for Diverse Scenarios Handling Emotional Support Agent](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.08389/) (2024)
- [Cross-Cultural Transfer Learning for Chinese Offensive Language Detection](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.17927/) (2023)
- [The Colorful Future of LLMs: Evaluating and Improving LLMs as Emotional Supporters for Queer Youth](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.11886/) (2024)
- [Cultural Learning-Based Culture Adaptation of Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.02953/) (2025)
- [Large Language Models are Capable of Offering Cognitive Reappraisal, if Guided](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.01288/) (2024)
- [Crisp: Cognitive Restructuring of Negative Thoughts through Multi-turn Supportive Dialogues](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.17238/) (2025)
- [Socratic Reasoning Improves Positive Text Rewriting](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.03029/) (2024)
- [From Surveys to Narratives: Rethinking Cultural Value Adaptation in LLMs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.16408/) (2025)
- [FEEL: A Framework for Evaluating Emotional Support Capability with Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.15699/) (2024)

## Built on by (most cited first, 5 of 5)

- [Every Token Counts: Exact Likert-Scale Distributions for Measuring LLM Attitudes and Biases](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.10503/) (2026)
- [Breakdowns in Conversational AI: Interactional Failures in Emotionally and Ethically Sensitive Contexts](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.02713/) (2026)
- [Enhancing Mental Health Counseling Support in Bangladesh using Culturally-Grounded Knowledge](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.14576/) (2026)
- [CCBENCH: Assessing LLM Cultural Competence via Implicitly Signaled Norms using Health Queries](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.05405/) (2026)
- [Personas Differ from Native-Language Generation: Language Pathways Shape LLM Interpersonal Advice](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.30873/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Large language models (LLMs) show promise in offering emotional support and generating empathetic responses for individuals in distress, but their ability to deliver culturally sensitive support remains underexplored due to a lack of resources. In this work, we introduce CultureCare, the first dataset designed for this task, spanning four cultures and including 1729 distress messages, 1523 cultural signals, and 1041 support strategies with fine-grained emotional and cultural annotations. Leveraging CultureCare, we (i) develop and test four adaptation strategies for guiding three state-of-the-art LLMs toward culturally sensitive responses; (ii) conduct comprehensive evaluations using LLM-as-a-Judge, in-culture human annotators, and clinical psychologists; (iii) show that adapted LLMs outperform anonymous online peer responses, and that simple cultural role-play is insufficient for cultural sensitivity; and (iv) explore the application of LLMs in clinical training, where experts highlight their potential in fostering cultural competence in novice therapists.