Research area: Detection and early intervention

Objective:

It aims to develop or adapt and assess tools, strategies and interventions that allow better detection and early intervention of psychopathology. This line of research brings together research aimed at the development and adaptation of different tools that contribute to the detection of psychopathology, such as questionnaires to measure psychopathology, and the development and adaptation of early interventions for mental health problems in youth. 

Research leaders:

Dr. Daniel Núñez
Dr. Pablo Gaspar

Eficacia de una aplicación para teléfonos móviles para intervención temprana de depresión y ansiedad en jóvenes universitarios/as
Principal Investigator:
Dra. Vania Martínez

Diseño y pilotaje de dispositivo para evaluar procesos de regulación emocional en jóvenes universitarios
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Daniel Núñez

Desarrollo y evaluación de un programa basado en tecnologías digitales para la detección del riesgo suicida y la promoción de la búsqueda de ayuda en estudiantes universitarios: un estudio piloto de factibilidad, usabilidad y aceptabilidad
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Álvaro Jiménez

Evaluación de la efectividad de una intervención online basada en terapia cognitivo-conductual para reducir ideación suicida en adolescentes secundarios en Chile
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Daniel Núñez

Análisis de marcadores lingüísticos de Esquizofrenia en población con Estados Mentales de Alto Riesgo de Psicosis (EMARS)
Principal Investigator: Dra. Alicia Figueroa

2024

Vergés, A., Arriaza, T., Soto, M., & Alvarado, M. E. (2024). Impulsivity and Compulsivity Dimensions in the Prediction of Substance Use and Depressive Symptoms Among Emerging Adults. International Journal of Mental Health and Addictionhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-024-01277-1

Martínez, I., Astudillo, C., & Núñez, D. (2025). Improving suicide ideation screening with machine learning and questionnaire optimization through feature analysis. En R. Hernández-García, R. J. Barrientos, & S. A. Velastin (Eds.), Progress in pattern recognition, image analysis, computer vision, and applications (pp. 233–243). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-76604-6_17

Ulloa, J. L.Núñez, D. E.Gaspar, P. A., & Brass, M. (2024). Imitative inhibitory control is associated with psychotic experiences in a sample from the general population. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, Article 1470030. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1470030

Fuentes-Ferrada, R., Rivera Meneses, G. A., Yáñez-Lizana, J., & Langer, Á. (2024). Terapia centrada en la compasión y autocompasión en el trastorno límite de la personalidad: Oportunidades y consideraciones a partir de un caso clínico. En J. A. Díaz-Garrido, S. Al-Halabí, A. J. Cangas, & F. Rodríguez-Otero (Coords.), Tratamientos psicológicos en los trastornos de la personalidad: Aproximación a modelos terapéuticos. Adaptado al DSM-5-TR y a la CIE-11 (pp. 169-179). Pirámide.

Mayol-Troncoso, R., Gaspar, P. A., Verdugo, R., Mariman, J. J., & Maldonado, P. E. (2024). Fixational eye movements and their associated evoked potentials during natural vision are altered in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research: Cognition, 38, 100324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scog.2024.100324

Campos, S., Nuñez, D., Pérez, J. C., & Robinson, J. (2024). Characterization of Psychopathology in Latin American Adolescents Using a Web-Based Screening Tool: Cross-Sectional Study. JMIR Formative Research8(1), e57038. https://doi.org/10.2196/57038

Núñez, D., Rodríguez-Delgado, J., Castillo, R. D., Yupanqui, J., & Kloos, H. (2024). Effect of prior beliefs and cognitive deficits on learning in first-episode schizophrenia patients. Schizophrenia Research: Cognition, 38, 100318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scog.2024.100318

Villacura-Herrera, C., Pérez, J., Jones, P. B., & Núñez, D. (2024). Internal Consistency and Temporal Stability of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE): A Reliability Generalization Meta-Analysis. Psychiatry Research, 115988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115988

Anagnostopoulou, N., Papachristou, E. (Steven), Galitzer, H., Alba, A., Gaete, J., Dima, D., Rogdaki, M., Salazar de Pablo, G., & Kyriakopoulos, M. (2024). Psychotic symptoms with and without a primary psychotic disorder in children requiring inpatient mental health admission. European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists, 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2024.23

Wannan, C., Nelson, B., Addington, J., Allott, K., Anticevic, A., Arango…Gaspar ,P.Castillo-Passi, R.Mayol-Troncoso, R.Turra-Fariña, G...& Whitson, S.(2024). Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Schizophrenia (AMP® SCZ): Rationale and Study Design of the Largest Global Prospective Cohort Study of Clinical High Risk for Psychosis. Schizophrenia Bulletinhttps://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbae011

Langer, Á. I., Ponce, F. P., Ordóñez-Carrasco, J. L., Fuentes-Ferrada, R.Mac-Ginty, S.Gaete, J., & Núñez, D. (2024). Psychometric evidence of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II): an item response theory analysis in university students from Chile. BMC Psychology, 12https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01608-w

Corral, S., Gaspar, P. A.Castillo-Passi, R. I.Mayol Troncoso, R., Mundt, A. P., Ignatyev, Y., Nieto, R. R., Figueroa-Muñoz, A. (2024). Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as a screening tool for cognitive impairment in early stages of psychosis. Schizophrenia Research: Cognition, 36https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scog.2024.100302

2023

Martínez, V., Krause, K. R., & Valdebenito, R. (2023). Consenso internacional sobre medidas de resultado de tratamientos de depresión y ansiedad en población infantojuvenil: recomendaciones para su aplicación en Chile. Revista Chilena de Psiquiatría y Neurología de la Infancia y Adolescencia, 34(3), 50-59. https://www.sopnia.com/revistas/volumen-34-n-3-diciembre-2023/

Jovanović, V., Rudnev, M., Abdelrahman, M., Abdul Kadir, N. B. Y., Adebayo, D. F., Akaliyski, P., … Gaete., J… & Pilkauskaite Valickiene, R. (2023). The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale: Cross-national measurement invariance and convergent validity evidence. Psychological Assessmenthttps://doi.org/10.1037/pas0001270

Bussio, M., Arriaza, T., Alvarado, M. E., & Vergés, A. (2023). Psychometric properties of the UPPS-P in Chilean adolescents and adults in treatment. Personality and Individual Differences, 213https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2023.112285

Núñez, D., Villacura-Herrera, C., Gaete, J.Meza, D., Andaur, J., & Robinson, J. (2023). Psychometric assessment of the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire Junior: a two‑study validation in Spanish‑speaking adolescents. Current Psychologyhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05422-2

Rivera, G., Fuentes-Ferrada, R., Krogh, E., & Langer, Á. I. (2023). Mindfulness and compassion as a path to recovery and personal discovery: a first-episode schizophrenia case study . En J. A. Díaz-Garrido, R. Zúñiga, H. Laffite, & E. Morris (eds) Psychological Interventions for Psychosis (pp. 539-557). Springerhttps://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27003-1_25

Fresno, A., Ramos Alvarado, N., Núñez, D.Ulloa, J. L., Arriagada, J., Cloitre, M., Bisson, J. I., Roberts, N. P., Shevlin, M., & Karatzias, T. (2023). Initial validation of the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) in a sample of Chilean adults. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2263313

Martínez, V. (2023). Abordaje del riesgo suicida mediante tecnologías digitales en estudiantes universitarios. En J. J. Martí-Noguera & F. Soto-Pérez (Eds), Casos Clínicos en Telesalud Mental. Elsevier

Woods, S. W., Parker, S., Kerr, M. J., Walsh, B. C., Wijtenburg, S. A., Prunier, N., …, Gaspar, P.,…, & Accelerating Medicines Partnership Schizophrenia. (2023). Development of the PSYCHS: Positive SYmptoms and Diagnostic Criteria for the CAARMS Harmonized with the SIPS. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.04.29.23289226

Núñez, D., Villacura-Herrera, C., Gaete, J.Meza, D., Andaur, J., Wigman, J. T., & Robinson, J. (2023). Initial validation of the Multidimensional Adolescent Functioning Scale (MAFS) in Spanish-speaking students from Chilean secondary schools. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 21, 78. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-023-02163-5

Barrera-Herrera, A., Riffo-Álvarez, C., Fernández-Hernández, D., Ortiz-Peña, F., & Salazar-Fernández, C. (2023). Cuestionario Oviendo del Sueño: Evidencias de validez y confiabilidad en universitarios chilenos. Revista Iberoamericana de Diagnóstico y Evaluación – e Avaliação Psicológica, 68(2), 51-65.  https://doi.org/10.21865/RIDEP68.2.04

Ramírez, S.Gana, S., Godoy, M. I., Valenzuela, D., Araya, R., & Gaete, J. (2023). Validation of the Spanish version of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) to identify and assess psychosocial problems among early adolescents in Chile. Plos One, 18(4). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283921

Palominos, C., Figueroa-Barra, A. y Hinzen, W. (2023). Retrasos de correferencia en el discurso psicótico: ampliando la ventana temporal. Boletín de esquizofrenia. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbac102 _

Barrera-Herrera, A., Baeza-Rivera, M J., Salazar-Fernández, C., & Manríquez-Robles, D. (2023). Analysis of the mental and physical health symptomatology scale in a sample of emerging and migrant adults in Chile. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064684

Lira, D.Caviedes, P., & Martínez, V. (2023). Adaptation of a mobile app for early anxiety and depression intervention in university students in Chile: participatory study. BJPsych International, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2023.1

Gallego, J., Cangas, A. J., Mañas, I., Aguilar-Parra, J. M., Langer, Á. I., Navarro, N., & Lirola, M. J. (2023). Effects of a mindfulness and physical activity programme on anxiety, depression and stress levels in people with mental health problems in a prison: a controlled study. Healthcare, 11(4), 555. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11040555

2022

Murga, C., Cabezas, R., Mora, C., Campos, S., & Núñez, D. (2022). Examining associations between symptoms of eating disorders and symptoms of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and perceived family functioning in university students: A brief report. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23787

Figueroa-Barra, A., León, M. E., & Gaspar, P. A. (2022). Las anomalías precoces de la continuidad en el discurso constituyen biomarcadores predictivos de psicosis. Rilce Revista de Filología Hispánica, 38(3)https://doi.org/10.15581/008.38.3.1016-49

Rivera, G., Fuentes-Ferrada, R., Krogh, E., & Langer, A. I. (2022). Mindfulness y compasión como vía de recuperación y encuentro personal: un estudio de caso en un primer episodio de esquizofrenia. En J. Díaz, R. Zúñiga, H. Laffite, & E. Morris (Coords.) Modelos de cambio. Casos clínicos en psicosis. Pirámide.

Wastler, H., & Núñez, D. (2022). Psychotic experiences, emotion regulation, and suicidal ideation among Chilean adolescents in the general population. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.983250

Crockett, M. A.Martínez, V., & Ordóñez-Carrasco, J. L. (2022). Propiedades psicométricas de la escala Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item (GAD-) en una muestra comunitaria de adolescentes en Chile. Revista Médica de Chile, 150, 458-464. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0034-98872022000400458

Langer, Á. I., Wardenaar, K., Wigman, J., Ulloa, J. L., & Núñez, D. E., (2022). A Latent Profile Analysis of psychotic experiences, non-psychotic symptoms, suicidal ideation and underlying mechanisms in a sample of adolescents from the general population. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.926556

Figueroa-Barra, A., Del Águila, D., Cerda, M., Gaspar, P. A., Terissi, L. D., Durán, M., & Valderrama, C. (2022). Automatic language analysis identifies and predicts schizophrenia in first-episode of psychosis. Schizophrenia, 8(53). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-022-00259-3

Martínez, V. & Lira, D. (2022). Intervenciones apoyadas en internet en salud mental. En J. J. Martí Noguera (Coord.), Manual de telesalud mental. Tecnologías digitales en la práctica clínica (pp.141-152). Ediciones Pirámide.

Campos, S., Núñez, D., Bravo, P., Fresno, A., & Olff, M. (2022). Preliminary evidence for internal structure, sensitivity, and specificity of a brief PTSD and complex PTSD measure in adolescents. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement. https://doi.org/10.1037/cbs0000322

Martínez, A., Tobe, R. H., Gaspar, P. A., Malinsky, D., Dias, E. C., Sehatpour, P., Lakatos, P., Patel, G. H., Bermudez, D. H., Silipo, G., & Javitt, D. C. (2022). Disease-specific contribution of pulvinar dysfunction to impaired emotion recognition in schizophrenia. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.787383

Núñez, D., Gaete, J., Meza, D., Andaur, J., & Robinson, J. (2022). Testing the effectiveness of a blended intervention to reduce suicidal ideation among school adolescents in Chile: a protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073947

2021

Krause, KR, Chung, S., Adewuya, AO, Albano, AM, Babins-Wagner, R., Birkinshaw, L., Brann, P., Creswell, C., Delaney, K., Falissard, B., Forrest , CB, Hudson, JL, Ishikawa, S., Khatwani, M., Kieling, C., Krause, J., Malik, K.,  Martínez, V., Mughal, F., Ollendicj, TH, Ong, SH, Patton, GC, Ravens-Sieberer, U., Szatmari, P., Thomas, E., Walters, L., Young, B., Zhao, Y. & Wolpert, M. (2021). International consensus on a standard set of outcome measures for child and youth anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Lancet Psychiatry, 8, 76–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30356-4

Fernández, O. M., Irarrázaval, M., Ortega, B., Carrasco, P., Martínez, P., Rojas, G., & Mundt, A. P. (2021). Salud mental primaria para niños, niñas y adolescentes institucionalizados: perspectiva de equipos de salud. Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Niñez y Juventud, 19(2), 1-19. https://dx.doi.org/10.11600/rlcsnj.19.2.4175

Mundt, A., Irarrázaval, M., Martínez, P., Fernández, O., Martínez, V., & Rojas, G. (2021). Telepsychiatry consultation for primary care treatment of children and adolescents in child protection services: a feasibility study from Chile. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance. https://doi.org/10.2196/preprints.25836

Nieto, R. R., Carrasco, A., Corral, S., Castillo, R., Gaspar, P. A., Bustamante, M. L., & Silva, H. (2021). BDNF as a biomarker of cognition in schizophrenia/psychosis: an updated review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.662407

Rojas, G., Martínez, P., Guajardo, V., Campos, S., Herrera, P., Vöhringer, P. A., Gómez, V., Szabo, W., & Araya, R. (2021). A collaborative, computer-assisted, psycho-educational intervention for depressed patients with chronic disease at primary care: protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry, 21(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256686

Núñez, D., Godoy, M. I., Gaete, J., Faúndez, M. J., Campos, S., Fresno, A., & Spencer, R. (2021). The Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences-Positive scale (CAPE-P15) accurately classifies and differentiates psychotic experience levels in adolescents from the general population. PLoS ONE, 16(8). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256686

Olivari, C. F., González-Santa Cruz, A., Mauro, P. M., Martins, S. S., Sapag, J., Gaete, J., Cerdá, M., & Castillo-Carniglia, A. (2021). Treatment outcome and readmission risk among women in women-only versus mixed-gender drug treatment programs in Chile. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108616

Ramírez, S., Gana, S., Godoy, M. I., Valenzuela, D., Araya, R., & Gaete, J. (2021). Validation of the European Drug Addiction Prevention Trial Questionnaire (EU-Dap) for substance use screening and to assess risk and protective factors among adolescents in Chile. PLoS ONE, 16(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258288

Olivares, I., & Figueroa, A. (2021). Análisis de alteraciones del discurso en estados mentales de alto riesgo de psicosis (EMAR): una revisión sistemática. Revista Chilena de Neuro-psiquiatría, 59(4), 343-360.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-92272021000400343

Undurraga, J., Gaspar, P., Nachar, R., Díaz, C., Rivera, G., & Noto, C. (2021). Intervención temprana en psicosis, una perspectiva clínica. Revista Latinoamericana de Psiquiatría, 20(2), 22-27. https://www.webapal.org/assets/files/Revista-ApalEdicin2ao2021.pdf

2020

Galitzer, H., Anagnostopoulou, N., Alba, A., Gaete, J., Dima, D., & Kyriakopoulos, M. (2020). Functional outcomes and patient satisfaction following inpatient treatment for childhood‐onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders vs non‐psychotic disorders in children in the United Kingdom. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.12973

Langer, Á. I., Schmidt, C., Vergara, R., Mayol-Troncoso, R., Lecaros, J., Krogh, E., Vergara., C., Díaz, M., Rivera, G., Aguirre-Baez, R., & Gaspar, P. A. (2020). Examining the effect of a mindfulness based program for the improvement of cognitive function in an early stage of schizophrenia. A random controlled trial. Schizophrenia Research, 223, 370-372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2020.07.012

Martínez, P., Magaña, I., Vöhringer, P. A., Guajardo, V., & Rojas, G. (2020). Development and validation of a three‐item version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 76(12), 2198-2211. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23041

Behn, A., Vöhringer, P. A., Martínez, P., Domínguez, A. P., González, A., Carrasco, M. I., & Gloger, S. (2020). Validación de la versión en español del Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form en Chile, en una muestra de pacientes con depresión clínica. Revista Médica de Chile, 148(3), 336-343. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0034-98872020000300336

Año 2019

Núñez, D. Arias, V., Méndez-Bustos, P., & Fresno, A. (2019). Is a brief self-report version of the Columbia severity scale useful for screening suicidal ideation in Chilean adolescents?. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 88, 39-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2018.11.002

Cerga-Pashoja, A., Gaete, J., Shishkova, A., & Jordanova, V. (2019). Improving reading in adolescents and adults with high-functioning autism through an assistive technology tool: A cross-over multinational study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 546. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00546

Krogh, E., Medeiros, S., Bitran, M., & Langer, Á. I. (2019). Mindfulness y la relación clínica: pasos hacia una resiliencia en medicina. Revista Médica de Chile, 147(5), 618-627. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0034-98872019000500618

Martínez, P., Rojas, G., Martínez, V., Marín, R., Cornejo, J.P., & Gómez, V. (2019). Measuring primary health care clinicians’ skills for depression management. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 570. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00570

Martínez, V., Rojas, G., Martínez, P., Gaete, J., Zitko, P., Vöhringer, P.A., & Araya, R. (2019). Computer-assisted cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat adolescents with depression in primary health care centers in Santiago, Chile: A randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 552. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00552

Rojas, G., Martínez, V., Martínez, P., Franco, P., & Jiménez-Molina, Á. (2019). Improving mental health care in developing countries through digital technologies: A mini narrative review of the Chilean case. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 391. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00391

2018

Gaspar, P. A., Castillo, R. I., Maturana, A., Villar, M. J., Ulloa, K., González, G., Ibaceta, O., Ortiz, A., Corral, S., Mayol, R., De Angel, V., Aburto, M. B., Martínez, A., Corcoran, C. M., & Silva, H. (2018). Early psychosis detection program in Chile: A first step for the South American challenge in psychosis research. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 13(2), 328-334. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.12766

Hiperandrogenismo en adolescentes hijas de mujeres con síndrome de ovario poliquístico como modulador negativo de la empatía.
Estudiante:
Juan Pablo del Río
Tutor/a:
Dr. Pablo Gaspar

Procesos subyacentes de alteraciones en memorias episódicas y autobiográficas en la esquizofrenia.
Estudiante:
Emmanuel Méndez
Tutor/a:
Dr. Pablo Gaspar

Análisis de la conectividad funcional en pacientes del espectro psicótico mediante teoría de grafos.
Estudiante:
Agustín Rolando
Tutor/a:
Dr. Pablo Gaspar

Descripción de la tasa de incidencia de reingreso a tratamiento por Trastorno por Uso de Sustancias de adultos que estuvieron en tratamiento por la misma patología en el sistema público en Chile durante los años 2010 a 2018.
Estudiante:
Joel Castellano
Tutor/a:
Dr. Jorge Gaete

Evaluación cognitiva en pacientes con psicosis no afectiva, y sus hermanos menores de edad.
Estudiante:
Carolina Hernández
Tutor/a:
Dr. Pablo Gaspar

Análisis de la asociación entre el estado de ánimo y la atención visual durante una tarea de reconocimiento de emociones faciales ambiguas.
Estudiante:
Len Loncomilla
Tutor/a:
Dr. Pablo Gaspar

Completed thesis

Detección y atribuciones de síntomas de Estados Mentales de Alto Riesgo (EMAR) por familiares de primer grado
Estudiante:
Mariel Labra
Tutor/a:
Dr. Pablo Gaspar

Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of an Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) Baseline Screening Application for therapists treating youths with depression.
Estudiante:
Fernando Parada
Tutor/a:
Dra. Vania Martínez

Anticipating schizophrenia’s first episode from the ultra high-risk syndrome: A clinical, neurocognitive and electroencephalographic cross-sectional case-control study.
Estudiante:
Rolando Castillo
Grado:
Doctorado