Comfort B. Asanbe

Comfort B. Asanbe is a Professor of Psychology and Chair of the Psychology Department at the College of Staten Island, part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. She is a licensed psychologist in New York State and serves as a representative of the American Psychological Association (APA) at the United Nations with designation to the Department of Global Communication. Dr. Asanbe also holds a research fellowship at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and volunteers with the New York City Medical Reserve Corps.

Dr. Asanbe earned her PhD from Tennessee State University, with additional graduate degrees (MA and Med) from Austin Peay State University, and her BA from the University of Ilorin in Nigeria. Her international academic background informs her cross-cultural research perspective.

Her research focuses on three interconnected themes: identifying factors threatening children's psychological health (particularly related to parental drug use), studying pre-and post-natal drug environments and child outcomes, and assessing psychological health and coping resources of orphans and vulnerable children due to parental HIV/AIDS. Dr. Asanbe has made significant contributions to understanding at-risk children in rural and difficult-to-reach communities, addressing a gap in existing literature. Her work bridges clinical psychology, public health, and international development, with particular attention to low-resource settings in Africa.

Analysis of Dr. Asanbe's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on vulnerable children in challenging circumstances, with increasing emphasis on HIV/AIDS impact in rural South Africa. Her research demonstrates a methodological progression from studying drug-affected communities in rural Tennessee to international work in Africa, showing adaptability in addressing similar psychological challenges in different cultural contexts. The publications span multiple disciplines including clinical psychology, developmental psychology, cross-cultural psychology, and public health.

Dr. Asanbe has served in numerous leadership roles including as Co-Chair of the 2021 Psychology Day at the UN event with participants from 97 countries, member of the CSI Foundation Board of Directors, and Chair of the Soroptimist International Live Your Dream Scholarship Committee. She has presented her research at international conferences across multiple continents and has served on various boards and committees addressing mental health, HIV/AIDS, and community development.

She directs the Psychological Assessment Lab at CSI (located in 4S-110), which focuses on mental health and psychological functioning with emphasis on externalizing behaviors, internalizing behaviors, addiction, and adaptive functioning. The lab provides training for students interested in applied psychology and has conducted research on the impact of COVID-19 on immigrant college students.