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Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Departament of Clinical and Health Psychology

Teachers

The Department teachers involved in the PhD program are:

Dimitra Tatiana Anastasiadou

Doctor in Psychology in 2014 with a study on the caregiver experience in families of patients with an Eating Disorder (ED), also holds different master's degrees in Women's Health (2009), General Sanitary Psychology (2011), and Systemic Family Therapy (2018). Throughout her career, she has been an associate professor at UAB, as well as at the Open University of Catalonia and the Università degli Studi di Bergamo (Italy). Currently, she is a Serra Hunter Lecturer at the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology of the UAB since 2022, teaching Health Psychology and supervising the final degree and master's projects of various students. She is also a member of the Research Group on Eating and Weight-Related Problems (PRAT) at UAB, which, from an integrated perspective, studies this whole spectrum of problems, focusing on common risk factors involved. In addition, she collaborates with several research institutes, including the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), where she participates as a collaborating researcher in a Horizon 2020 project called SOCRATES, which studies the effectiveness of a Virtual Reality platform specially developed to meet the needs of people living with obesity, through a randomized controlled trial.

Her research line has mainly focused on the field of EDs and obesity and, specifically, on the factors associated with the best or worst prognosis of the disease. Moreover, she has shown a particular interest in evidence-based psychological treatments for addressing physical and psychological health problems, including eHealth interventions, third-generation therapies, and family interventions.

Regarding her current projects, they are focused on: the study of psychosocial factors associated with childhood obesity, with particular emphasis on weight stigma and dysfunctional family patterns; the study of the effectiveness of psychological interventions for eating and weight-related problems integrating new technologies (e.g., mobile applications or Virtual Reality); the study of possible variables that influence the treatment of EDs under an evidence-based practice approach; and the study of eating and weight-related problems from a gender perspective.

More information:
Portal de la Recerca de les Universitats de Catalunya
 

Sergi Ballespí Solà

Sergi Ballespí received his PhD in 2004 with the creation of a psychometric battery for the early detection of temperamental social anxiety, a M.Sc. in Psychopathology (2001) and a M.Sc. in Methodology and Research in Health Sciences (2002). He is professor at the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology since 2002, and he has been Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona and at the University College of Health Sciences (now Universitat Central de Catalunya). He has been teaching psychopathology, assessment and psychological treatment in the Degree of Psychology, in ten Masters’ degrees and in the PhD program. He directs the research line about Mentalization and Psychopathology and collaborates with the University of Houston, Université de Genève and the University College London for research issues, as well as with the clinical centers of Fundació Pere Clavé and Fundació Orienta.

His research is based on demonstrate that mentalization, i.e., the high-order capacity to be aware of the mental states that underpin human behavior, is a key factor for mental health. Specifically, he aims to analyze the role of mentalization in the transitions between health and psychopathology, going beyond the classic models of mental health and adopting developmental, trans-diagnostic, trans-symptomatic and trans-generational points of view.

His current projects are based on: How mentalization moderates the association between psychopathology and functioning; The role of mentalizing in the ‘metabolism’ of emotional suffering; Innovation in ecological and TIC-based methods for measuring mentalizing; The efficiency of mentalizing-based treatments and prevention programs (Mentalization Based Treatment (MBT), KidsTime, SchoolsInMind-Network or LightHouse Parenting), as well as their translation to other domains (e.g., Sport Psychology). Assuming that mentalization is resiliency, he aims to find ways to foster mentalizing in general population in order to improve global mental health.

More information:
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Lorena Chanes Puiggros

Lorena Chanes received her PhD (Brain-Cognition-Behavior) from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie, and an M.Sc. in Integrative Biology and Physiology (specialization in Neuroscience) from the same university. She is an Assistant Professor-Serra Húnter Fellow at the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
 
Her research focuses on conscious experience. Which are the underlying brain bases? How is it disrupted in mental disorders? She asks these questions in the context of new perspectives of perception and action known as predictive processing, and she explores them using a multidisciplinary approach, including behavior, noninvasive brain stimulation and neuroimaging.

More information:
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Joan Deus Yela

Dr. of Psychology within the specialty of neuropsychology program and the University of Barcelona (UB). Accredited as a specialist in clinical psychology by the Ministry of Education and Science, and Clinical Neuropsychology, accredited by the Official College of Psychologists of Catalonia (COPC). Has won the European Certificate of Clinical Psychologist (EuroPsy). Professor at the Department of Clinical Psychology and Health of the School of Psychology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).

He is co-director, in coordination with the director of Dr. Jesús Pujol MRI Research Unit  of CRC-Hospital del Mar, in the research of Neuroimaging in Neuropsychology and Neuroscience. His research focuses on the study of cognitive and behavioral functions, structural and functional pathology, in various fields of neuroscience (neuropsychology, neurology, pediatric neurology, neuropsychiatry, rheumatology and chronic neuropathic pain and non-neuropathic pain, neurosurgery and endocrinology at neurodevelopmental disorders) through structural and functional MRI.

More information:
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Lourdes Ezpeleta

Clinical Psychologist. Professor of child and adolescent psychopathology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain). She is also the Director of the Unit of Epidemiology and Diagnostic in Developmental Psychopathology. Her field of research has been focused on developing and testing diagnostic instruments for epidemiological studies in child and adolescent psychopathology as well as on the study of risk factors of child and adolescent psychopathology.

More information:
www.ued.uab.es
 

Albert Feliu Soler

PhD in Health Psychology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona since 2014. He is a health psychologist and biologist and is currently a Serra Húnter professor in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the UAB.

Dr. Feliu has published in collaboration with different national and international groups and researchers more than 70 articles on the clinical efficacy, cost-effectiveness and neurobiological mechanisms of third-generation cognitive-behavioral therapies and other non-pharmacological approaches for people with mental health disorders and / or chronic pain. Part of his work has also focused on the validation of different instruments for assessing different relevant constructs in the field of psychotherapy (e.g., mindfulness, decentering, non-attachment, psychological flexibility, subjective happiness, depressive symptoms, borderline personality disorder, etc.).

Dr. Feliu is member of the AGORA research group (psychological research group on chronic pain and fibromyalgia; 2017 SGR 667) and has led various research projects in the field of the clinical and immuno-inflammatory effects of non-pharmacological interventions in fibromyalgia and chronic pain.

The latest research project obtained by Dr. Feliu is the On&Out clinical trial ("Cost-utility and immunoinflammatory effects of multicomponent FIBROWALK therapy in online or outdoor format in fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial") funded by the MICINN (ref. PID2020-117667RA-I00; Execution dates: 2021- 2023).

More information:
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Albert Fornieles Deu

A. Fornieles holds a Ph.D in Psychology from the University of Barcelona (UB 1995).  He graduated in Psychology (UB 1989) and Social and cultural Anthropology (UNED 2006).

Fornieles has conducted research stays at the Department of Optics and Optometry of the UPC (2010) and at the Department of Methodology of Behavioral Sciences of the UB (1989-97), where he defended his doctoral thesis.

He has continuously been promoting and conducting competitive projects in the field of applied Psychology in collaboration with several universities and centers of excellence, such as the Neonatology Service at Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, and Department of Optics and Optometry at the UPC.

Fornieles is currently collaborating with Blanquerna Foundation in the project: "Research on school success in contexts of poverty and social vulnerability in Spain".

He is currently participating in the project: "Food insecurity, weight discrimination, food alterations and psychological well-being in Spanish adolescents", for which financial support has been requested to the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (pending resolution).

Fornieles is the driving force behind a research team at the UAB that has led to the supervision of 14 doctoral theses, and 5 more in progress, as well as to technology transfer agreements, the statistical modeling of the factors that influence the remuneration with the company CEINSA (1999-2007) being one of them.

A. Fornieles has 30 years of teaching experience with distinctions such as the External Examinator of the Mediterranean University School, University of Hertfodsfire (2000-02).

More information:
Portal de la Recerca de les Universitats de Catalunya
 

Estel Gelabert Arbiol

Estel Gelabert obtained her PhD in 2010, a M.Sc in Psychopathology (2008), in Behavior Therapy (2009) and in Perinatal Psychology (2018). She is a lecturer professor at the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
She is a researcher of the Research Group on Gender and Psychopathology (UAB). She is also researcher of the Research Group on Vulnerability, Psychopathology and Gender acknowledged by Generalitat de Catalunya (SGR2017/1798). Her research covers a wide range of topics related to the study of Perinatal Mental Disorders, especially Postpartum Depression. She is working in collaboration with the Perinatal Mental Health Unit of the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona. 
She is currently a member of the European project Cost Action- Riseup-PPD,  WG1, Subgroup 5: Task-force on severe outcomes of perinatal depression: maternal suicide & infanticide. 

More information:
Portal de la Recerca de les Universitats de Catalunya
https://psicopatologiagenere.wordpress.com/
https://grupsderecerca.uab.cat/perinatal/
 

Teresa Gutiérrez Rosado

PhD in Psychology. Associate Professor since 2002 in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Her teaching and research profile is linked to health psychology. She teaches the subjects of intervention in health psychology, prevention and promotion of health and psychological treatments. Promoter and director of the official Erasmus Mundus Master's Degree in Community Health and Welfare/Phoenix ME Dynamics of Health and Welfare at the Faculty of Medicine (2006-2013). She has been Dean of the Faculty of Psychology and has held several university management positions between 2002-2022.

She is the promoter and member of the Consolidated Research Group 2017-SGR-1198, recognised by the Catalan govern for more than 20 years, where different lines of research converge and enrich each other. She collaborates in the chronic pain line with Dr. Joan Deus and directs the line of prevention and promotion of health and community well-being, with a perspective based on the social determinants of health, salutogenic models and the search for equity in health.
His research has focused on: (a) the prevention of drug use and ICT use, differential care for women with addictions; (b) sexual and reproductive health programmes for adolescents and young people, gender violence in couples; (c) the study of resilience, the character strengths and the humanisation in health care and (d) the design and evaluation of programmes as an essential methodology for prevention and health promotion in various contexts related to public health.

She is currently leading an interdisciplinary research project with 7 researchers from 4 universities on the impact of the pandemic on health professionals in hospitals. The aim is to find out what factors enabled health professionals to respond better to the crisis. She is also collaborating in a funded project on the design, implementation and evaluation of a transdiagnostic programme for the prevention of substance use and abuse and internet addiction in young people.

More information:
Portal de la Recerca de les Universitats de Catalunya
 

Mercè Jódar Vicente

Merce Jodar obtained her PhD in Psychology /Neuropsychology at the University of Barcelona. She works as a Clinical neuropsychologist in the Neurology Service at the Parc Taulí Hospital. Associate professor at the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Director of the Master in Clinical Neuropsychology : Childhood and Adults of the UAB. She is a member of the group " e-Mental Health, prevention and epidemiology in neuropsychiatric disorders, recognized by the Agencia de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaria i de Recerca (AGAUR/2014 SGR 1462).

She has worked in the development of rehabilitation programs as the Telerehabilitation Program for cognition and social cognition in patients with first-episode psychosis. Neuropersonal platform Trainer / Mental Health Parc Tauli, or the development of the Neurocognitive Rehabilitation in Intensive Care platform (ENRIC). She has participated as a researcher in various financed projects. Her general interest is clinical neuropsychology and rehabilitation, but now focuses on the study of the effects of cognition and neurorehabilitation in patients admitted to the ICU, and in the study of neuropsychological disorders and biomarkers in patients with HVC.

 At present is lead researcher of the project: "Neuropsychological impairment in patients chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus and cognitive changes after curative treatment with direct antiviral agents"

More information:
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Juan Vicente Luciano Devis

I've worked as Senior Researcher and Head of research group at Fundació Sant Joan de Déu (FSJD) in the period 2015-2021 thanks to two research contracts awarded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (contratos Miguel Servet Tipo I y Miguel Servet Tipo II).

Since 2017, I am the coordinator of the AGORA research group, which has been accredited and funded as emergent group by AGAUR (SGR 667) and I member of the executive committee of TECSAM network (New Technologies in Mental Health Innovation Network) also funded by AGAUR.
I perform applied research in chronic pain from a bench-to-bedside perspective. Specifically, I am interested in what pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments work, for whom (clusters of patients), why, and under what circumstances in the field of chronic pain.

There is a special interest in the AGORA group about how treatments work at cognitive, afective and physiological level.  Moreover, since my predoctoral stage at University of Valencia, I have great interest in the psychometric analysis of self-report measures of quality of life, functioning, and "third-wave"-related constructs such as mindfulness dimensions, psychological (in)flexibility, experiential avoidance, etc.
 
Publications:
Portal de la Recerca de Catalunya: Researcher Page (csuc.cat)
 

Marisol Mora Giral

Marisol Mora Giral, PhD. in Psychology. Associated Professor of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment in Adults in Clinical and Health Psychology Department at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. She started her research career 25 years ago with a state scholarship to do the doctorate studies.

Currently she is the chief researcher of the project with reference: PSI2013-47212-P; Prevention of weight and body image related problems in school: integral and ecological intervention ECOPREV2013 sponsored by The Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness: State Plan for Technical and Scientific Research and Innovation 2013-2016 years.

Her research activity has been diffused in more than 44 publications. She is part of the team of the Assessment and Body Image Treatment Unit where she carries out her research activity and psycho-educational programs in order to prevent body image disorders in people with an incipient disturbance. She has started her research doing epidemiological investigation. At the same time, she has optimized a cognitive-behavioral treatment addressed to body image disorders. Currently, her research is focused on school-based universal preventive programs in different formats and as well as in selective prevention.
She belongs to a consolidate Research Team: Behavior, Life Styles and Health in Women acknowledged by Generalitat de Catalunya.
More information:
Portal de la Recerca de les Universitats de Catalunya
 

Nuria de la Osa Chaparro

Clinical Psychologist. Associated Professor of Psychological Assessment at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. She is a researcher in the Uepartment of Clinical and Health Psychology. Her reaserach is in the area of assessment and diagnosis in childhood and adolescence, the development of instruments for clinical assessment and special interest in prevention.

More information:
Portal de la Recerca de les Universitats de Catalunya
 

David Sánchez Carracedo

Dr. in Psychology, associate professor of the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. He is the director of the Research Group on Eating and Weight-related Problems (PRAP). Their field of research focuses on an integrated approach to the study of PRAP (disordered eating and weight control behaviors, body dissatisfaction, overweight and obesity), the shared risk factors, assessment, prevention and intervention.

More information:
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Susanna Subirà Álvarez

Associate profesor of Psychopathology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Director of the Research Group on Gender and Psychopathology. Researcher on environmental and biological factors involved in the vulnerability of women to psychopathological disorders. Especially dedicated to borderline personality disorder, mood disorders during pregnancy and postpartum period and social anxiety.

More information:
Portal de la Recerca de les Universitats de Catalunya
https://psicopatologiagenere.wordpress.com/
 

Neus Vidal Barrantes

Neus Barrantes-Vidal obtained her PhD (Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award) and conducted a M.Sc. at the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, becoming a Licensed Specialist in Clinical Psychology. She is the principal investigator of the “Person-Environment Interaction in the Risk and Resilience in Mental Health” Research Group at UAB, which has been recognized by the Catalan Government as a Consolidated Research Group. She has received funding from several research agencies and led various interdisciplinar projects within her program of research, “An Integrative Approach to Psychosis Research”. Her group studies the interaction of genotype, person and psychosocial environment in configuring several pathways to psychosis risk and expression. Their work has concentrated on the dynamics of sub/clinical symptoms and person-environment interactions in real life, making use of mobile technologies to map dynamic mental processes and obtain ecologically valid measures. In addition, she is also interested in healthy expressions of risk for psychopathology, most especially in creativity, and in the clinical translation of research findings. Finally, she is currently developing projects aimed at understanding how psychological and genetic individual differences in sensitivity to the environment contribute to risk and resilience to several transdiagnostic phenotypes. She has been distinguished twice with the ICREA Academia Distinguished Research award, a 5-year intensification research program funded by the Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA) of the Catalan Government.

More information:
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The following professors of the Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of Health Sciences are involved in the Phd program:
 

Blas Navarro Pastor

Doctor in Psychology. Master in Design and Statistics in Health Sciences. Professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Specialist in research methodology, validation of instruments and data analysis. He has participated in numerous research projects in different areas of health sciences, from psychology to medicine, through nursing, physiotherapy, etc.

Current member of different funded research groups in the areas of child clinical psychology, adult clinical psychology and quality of life of kidney and liver living donors.
Since 2001 its methodological research focuses on the application of multilevel regression models in the field of psychology.

More information:
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Eva Penelo Werner

PhD in Psychology, Program of Psychopathology in Childhood and Adolescence. Associate Professor of the Unit of Methodology for Behavioral Sciences of the Faculty of Psychology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. She is currently a a member of the reaserach team at the EUnitat d’Epidemiologia i de Diagnòstic en Psicopatologia del Desenvolupament (UAB).

Her work area focuses on Psychometrics, adaptation and validation of assessment instruments and structural equation modeling in Health Sciences. She has participated in several projects funded and currently colaborates in a longitudinal study on vulnerability and risk factors for psychopathology in children and adolescents of the general population.

She has published her work in both national and international journals

Más información:
Portal de la Recerca de les Universitats de Catalunya
 
Also are involved in the program the following specialists:
Martín-Santos, Rocío
García-Esteve, Lluïsa

Additional information