Dr. Abdul Raffie Naik: Sr. Assistant Professor at VIT-AP University, India
Dr. Abdul Raffie Naik is an Assistant Professor (Senior Grade I) in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at VIT-AP University, Amaravati. He is a clinical and counseling psychologist with over eight years of professional experience spanning teaching, academic supervision, corporate mental health services, and research. His expertise includes positive psychology, mental health interventions, stress management, and research methodology. He has guided multiple Ph.D., M.Phil., and postgraduate research scholars and has presented papers in national and international forums. Dr. Naik has contributed significantly to mental health awareness, academic leadership, and promoting applied psychological practices in educational and corporate settings.
Online Profiles
Research Metrics (Google Scholar, as of 2025)
Dr. Naik has a total of 184 citations, with 138 citations since 2020, reflecting the growing impact of his recent scholarly contributions. His current h-index is 7 (6 since 2020), and his i10-index is 5 (4 since 2020), indicating consistent publication of high-quality research outputs and continued relevance of his work within the academic community.
Education
Dr. Naik is pursuing his Ph.D. in Psychology from Aligarh Muslim University, where he earlier completed an M.Sc. in Clinical & Counseling Psychology with high distinction. He holds a B.A. (Honours) in Psychology from AMU and a Postgraduate Diploma in Guidance and Counselling. He has further completed specialized certifications in Positive Psychology (University of Pennsylvania), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Life Coaching, and Hypnotherapy, enhancing his applied counseling and therapeutic skills.
Research Focus
His research interests include clinical and counseling psychology, positive psychology, psychological capital, resilience development, mental health in conflict contexts, post-traumatic growth, and digital and behavioral interventions for improving emotional well-being. He is actively engaged in developing psychological scales, structured intervention programs, and mental-health-centric educational frameworks.
Experience
Dr. Naik currently serves as Assistant Professor (Sr. Grade I) at VIT-AP University, where he teaches psychology courses, mentors research scholars, coordinates academic activities, and contributes to curriculum and student development initiatives. Previously, he served as Assistant Professor at Acharya Institute of Graduate Studies, Bengaluru, and AMITY University, Mumbai, where he guided more than 50 UG and PG dissertations and coordinated major departmental research activities. He has also worked as a Clinical and Counseling Psychologist with Lifetime Wellness Rx International (Apollo Group), delivering workplace mental health support, psychotherapy, and wellness training. He has experience as guest faculty in multiple higher education institutions and continues to practice as a freelance psychologist and academic counselor.
Research Timeline & Activities
His research journey spans from early work on depression, locus of control, and stress among youth to recent contributions in psychological capital, post-traumatic growth, caregiver well-being, and digital mental health interventions. He has supervised and co-supervised ongoing Ph.D. and M.Phil. research projects and has actively participated as a resource person, external examiner, and invited speaker across universities. He has reviewed manuscripts for multiple psychology journals and serves on editorial boards of international academic publications.
Awards & Honors
He has been recognized as a COVID-19 Frontline Mental Health Warrior for community support during the pandemic and received appreciation for academic contributions such as mentorship in SPSS workshops and debate competitions. He has received distinctions in academic coursework and secured notable recognition in scholarly and cultural competitions during his university education.
Top Noted Publication
Naik, A. R. (2024). Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models in Mental Healthcare: A Systematic Review. In Wiley (3rd Ed., pp. 195–210). This chapter provides a comprehensive analysis of emerging AI-driven tools and their role in mental health research, interventions, and therapy support systems.
Naik, A. R. (2015). A study on locus of control among college students of Gulbarga City. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 2(4), 47–54. Cited by: 47
Bhat, R. H., & Naik, A. R. (2016). Relationship of academic intrinsic motivation and psychological well-being among students. International Journal of Modern Social Sciences, 5(1), 66–74. Cited by: 39
Naik, A. R., & Sundaramoorthy, J. (2016). The relationship between locus of control and depression among college students of Gulbarga City. Indian Journal of Positive Psychology, 7(2), 249–252. Cited by: 17
Naik, A. R. (2016). Impact of conflict on mental health with special reference to Kashmir Valley. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 4, 76–82. Cited by: 14
Naik, A. R., & Khan, S. M. (2019). Post-traumatic growth: An overview. International Journal of Advance and Innovative Research, 6(4-II), 1–4. Cited by: 13
Strengths for Innovative Researcher Award
Pioneering Contributions to Applied Mental Health Research
Dr. Naik integrates positive psychology, counseling intervention models, and digital mental health tools to develop practical, evidence-based frameworks that support emotional resilience, well-being, and behavior change among youth and working professionals.Innovative Pedagogical and Counseling Practices
He has consistently introduced experiential teaching, supervised research mentorship, and structured counseling methodologies that enhance student engagement, improve psychological awareness, and foster emotional intelligence in both academic and corporate environments.Strong Research Productivity and Growing Scholarly Impact
With over 184 citations and increasing post-2020 impact, his work on locus of control, intrinsic motivation, post-traumatic growth, and conflict-affected populations has shaped research directions in clinical and counseling psychology. His recent contributions to AI-based mental healthcare highlight continued relevance and innovation.Leadership in Mental Health Advocacy and Community Engagement
He has led mental health awareness programs, workplace psychological wellness sessions, and community support initiatives, particularly during the COVID-19 period where he was recognized as a Mental Health Frontline Support Warrior for service and outreach.Capacity Building Through Academic Supervision and Empowerment
He has mentored Ph.D., M.Phil., and postgraduate researchers, guided over 50 dissertations, and served as a resource person for workshops in research methodology, SPSS, counseling skills, and psychological assessment, contributing to growing research capability in the field.