Lines of Research

Doctorate in Psychotherapy

Lines of Research

The Doctoral Program in Psychotherapy offers development opportunities in the following lines of research:

1.  Etiological mechanisms of mental disorders

This line of research focuses on projects aimed at clarifying the origins and mechanisms that trigger, develop, and maintain psychological disorders. It includes the assessment of the multiple cultural, social, developmental, and psychobiological elements involved in mental disease.

  • Adrian Mundt
  • Alex Behn
  • Felix Bacigalupo
  • Juan Pablo Jiménez
  • Pablo Gaspar
  • Sergio Ruiz
  • Vanetza Quezada

2.  Development trajectories

This line of research is composed of studies that shed light on the relation between development trajectories (early childhood, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, aging) and mechanisms linked to psychological development and mental health (e.g. reflective functioning, attachment), as well as on the implementation of therapeutic interventions (e.g.video feedback for parents) suited to the age and development stage of each individual.

  • Claudia Capella
  • Marcia Olhaberry
  • María Pía Santelices

3.  Change mechanisms and processes in psychotherapy

This line of research focuses on the analysis of change processes and the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions. It includes projects that pay close attention to change mechanisms leading to outcomes (process research).

  • Adrian Mundt
  • Alex Behn
  • Claudia Capella
  • Diana Rivera
  • Guillermo de la Parra
  • Juan Enrique Wilson
  • Marcia Olhaberry
  • Mariane Krause
  • Michele Dufey
  • Paula Errázuriz

4.  Prevention and intervention in mental health

This line focuses on the prevention of mental health problems, the recovery of patients with mental health disorders, and the reduction of the chronicity of mental health disorders. It includes studies that assess the effectiveness of preventive and therapeutic psychological interventions and examine variables linked to the chronicity of mental disorders.

  • Alex Behn
  • Diana Rivera
  • Loreto Leiva
  • Marcia Olhaberry
  • María Graciela Rojas
  • María Pía Santelices
  • Pablo Gaspar
  • Sergio Ruiz
  • Vania Martínez