Biosketch

Prof Ashraf Kagee

Ashraf Kagee is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Stellenbosch University, Co-Director of the Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, and a Member of the Academy of Science of South Africa.

He received his PhD in Counselling Psychology from Ball State University, USA, completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, USA, and a Master of Public Health at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Prof Kagee’s Work is broadly located at the nexus of Psychology and Public Health. His Research has focused on common mental disorders among persons living with HIV and the psychological and structural factors influencing adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART).

His work currently involves training patient advocates in providing psychosocial support to ART and in testing models of problem solving aimed at helping patients overcome structural barriers to ART adherence. His other interests include stress and trauma, mental health and chronic illness, and evidence-based practice and scientific thinking in psychology.

He currently serves on a working group of the World Health Organisation to decide on diagnostic criteria for stress-related disorders for the forthcoming edition of the International Classification of Diseases.

With over 200 scientific Publications to date, Prof Kagee has been Awarded Research Grants from the South African Medical Research Council, the National Research Foundation, The British Academy, and the Guggenheim Foundation.

He has also been a Co-Investigator on several NIH-funded studies. Prof Kagee has served on a working group of the World Health Organization tasked with developing diagnostic guidelines for stress-related disorders for the forthcoming edition of the International Classification of Diseases.

He chairs the Board of Trustees of the Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture in Cape Town, and does capacity building work at the Gaza Community Mental Health Centre in Gaza, Palestine.