Research lines of the Doctoral Programme in Health and Psychology

Recent years have seen the proliferation of self-organized caring communities, mutual aid groups and preparedness networks across Europe. CareNet has explored how these initiatives mobilize care, knowledge and technology to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires and heatwaves.

We welcome doctoral proposals examining how communities organize and sustain care and solidarity in times of crisis and climate adaptation, with attention to their psychosocial impact, their role in inclusive and just resilience, and their relationship with institutions and expertise.

To address the demographic transition in the context of the care, housing and climate crises, civil society and policymakers in Spain are pushing towards a new care model. This largely involves creating environments that allow individuals to continue living in the community even when they require care. In this context, alternatives to both private homes and traditional residential facilities are emerging. We see the emergence of new housing-with-support-and-care models: shared housing, serviced housing, hostels or pensions for older adults, retirement communities and senior cohousing. Residential care facilities are also shifting towards home-like models, such as the Green House Model, Green Care Farms, dementia villages and group homes.

We are seeking PhD candidates interested in researching these new caring environments and exploring issues such as home-making practices, distribution of care work, their home and care cultures, the social life within these settings, the role of families, the impact of increasing care needs and the prevention of "institutionalization". We also welcome theses focused on examining the role of architecture and material culture, as well as the influence of technology (AI and robotics) within these environments.

An increasing number of individuals requiring care are living with companion animals. There is a growing body of literature demonstrating the benefits of social connectedness and well-being – particularly during life transitions, ageing and in situations of vulnerability (such as isolation, loneliness or homelessness). Consequently, animal-assisted interventions are gaining traction in social and healthcare settings, being utilized, for example, in preventing social isolation, as non-pharmacological interventions for dementia care and in managing conditions like diabetes, epilepsy and autism.

We are seeking PhD candidates who want to explore human-animal relationships during life transitions and in situations requiring care. We welcome students from the social sciences who are trained in qualitative research and interested in applying a multispecies care framework.

The objective of this research line is to explore how long-term care facilities deal with bereavement in a communal way, involving residents, families and staff. It aims to identify effective practices that strengthen collective resilience and to develop strategies that support the emotional, spiritual and social well-being of those involved.

The student should focus on identifying and analysing the dynamics of collective bereavement in different types of residential facilities. Through a mixed methodology, they will combine quantitative analysis (surveys and standardized scales) and qualitative analysis (in-depth interviews, focus groups and participant observation). They should analyse bereavement experiences, identify factors that facilitate or inhibit mutual support, and contribute to the creation of best practice guidelines for dealing with bereavement in long-term care facilities.

This project explores how adolescents and young adults with cancer use social media and AI-based tools to cope with illness, maintain connections and make sense of their experiences. Using a mixed-methods approach (netnography, interviews and digital analysis), it aims to understand the emotional, social and ethical implications of these practices and to propose more sensitive, critical and participatory forms of psychosocial support.

Ageing population worldwide has set significant challenges for the healthcare and social systems. Moreover, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for innovative community-based solutions to take care of our older adults. Consequently, programs orientated to prevent functional capacity loss in older adults and promotion of healthy ageing are mandatory.  

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set the need to design, develop and offer comprehensive community-based approaches introducing interventions at the primary care level to prevent declines in capacity. Additionally, the WHO has established the "Decade of Healthy Aging 2020-2030" to promote the healthy ageing process. It consists of developing and maintaining functional capacity in older adults to achieve their well-being. Functional capacity is determined by the intrinsic capacity of the person and their physical, social, economic, and political environment, as well as their interactions. 

We aim to understand the biological, social, economic and environmental determinants of functional capacity in old adults and the effect of tailored home and community-based programs and interventions on old adults' health, autonomy and well-being.

We are interested in implementation research proposals including quantitative, qualitative or mixed (quantitative and qualitative) designs to approach aspects such as: 

-      Evaluation of programs oriented at preventing functional capacity loss in old adults and promoting healthy ageing 

-      Evaluation of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of services and interventions provided to old persons at home and in the community under the health service and social perspectives

-      Co-design and validation of innovative tools and methodologies to perform person-centred evaluation and research

Digital health solutions have generated huge expectations as a way to reduce healthcare costs, since they have the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare organizations, as well as the quality of the services provided. However, their use in day-to-day clinical practice is still limited. It is well known that the success of ICT use in healthcare is understood as the compatibility between clinical ICT systems and physicians' tasks, ICT support for information exchange, communication and collaboration in clinical practice, and interoperability and reliability. In this vein, we will be working on the following areas:

Understanding the factors that explain healthcare professionals' use of information and communication technologies (ICT), and the range of interconnection between clinical practices and digital devices and forms of information, and as well as the ways they are used in people' private lives.

Understanding the role that the structure of healthcare organizations, tasks, people policies, incentives and decision-making processes play in explaining how medical professionals overcome challenges in using ICT.

Understanding the effect on the nature of the doctor-patient relationship, the status of health informatics and also the effect hardware/software providers have on medical professionals' ICT use.

eHealth is a relatively emerging field that brings together technology, public health, medical informatics and numerous other disciplines. Traditionally speaking, academic curricula for health-related degrees scarcely include specific training in eHealth. Therefore, health professionals need to find alternative lifelong training strategies to sustain their continuous professional development. We asked ourselves what e-health competencies health professionals need to provide optimal care.

Therefore, we aim to:

•  To create a conceptual model based on the practice of health professionals.
•  To Know what eHealth competencies health professionals should have according to the professional role in question.
•  Analyse the eHealth competencies addressed in undergraduate and post-graduate curricula worldwide.
•  To propose how these eHealth competences should be empirically and effectively assessed.

In the last years, we have faced a revolution in the health sector by the use of mobile applications (apps), sensors, wearables and other tools that allow the empowerment of patients and health professionals regarding health management. They are key elements of health interventions but due to its novelty there is not yet enough evidence supporting their validity, efficacy, security and effectiveness.

Therefore we have the following goals

•  To define and develop frameworks, methodologies and tools to assess eHealth interventions.
•  To develop eHealth interventions to tackle any health condicions
•  To develop decision support systems to empower citizens and health professionals.
•  To wider the knowledge in implementation and scale up processes of eHealth interventions.
•  To analyze the elements that enables a higher social impact of eHealth interventions.

Chronic pain and other chronic conditions have an enormous impact on our society. There is also no doubt that there are very few services offering care (based on available evidence) for people that suffer from such conditions. For this reason, we are working in this line with the following aims: 

Facilitate access to web-based interventions for people that suffer from chronic pain
Create apps that help to manage these health problems based on the best available evidence
Create websites to facilitate information to society regarding specific problems. We would like to offer them as a primary source of information for those in need. 

Appart from those ongoing projects, we want to work in the introduction of conversational bots of facilitating the management of these problems. We are totally open to any other innovative ideas in the field. We are also accepting proposals for ICT interventions for other chronic diseases not necessarily related to pain. In sum, we welcome any ideas you may have. 

Cancer is a prevalent group of diseases that pose many challenges for patients, their relatives and for health professionals. For this reason, psychological support is often needed to overcome the burden of cancer and its treatments . 

Due to the increasing figures of cancer incidence, and the availability of effective mental health interventions , the use of new technologies is spreading nowadays. In this scenario, we are interested in potential research along these lines through a collaboration between Dr. Tania Estapé from the FEFOC and the UOC. We are open to hear ideas from potentially interested students.

This project focuses on studying possible links between psychology and AI with a particular focus on large language models (LLMs). We will explore ways in which these research areas can connect and benefit from each other. Given its focus, this is an interdisciplinary project involving experts in computer science and psychology. Specifically, the project will focus on the following directions:

1. Testing the ability of LLMs to interpret, understand and assess the personal narratives of people with chronic pain. [1,6]

2. Implementation of psychology-based tests for the development of trustworthy and responsible AI technology [5]

For example, determining the validity of classic human assessment questionnaires for assessing LLMs (see e.g. [3]). The aim is to use psychological tools to improve LLMs in the context of developing ethical AI applications.

3. Generation and test of synthetic populations (mirroring real ones)  for accelerating research processes [2,3,4]

We are open to hearing other innovative ideas related to AI and psychology from potential candidates 

[1] Amidei, J., Nieto, R., Kaltenbrunner, A., Ferreira De Sá, J. G., Serrat, M., & Albajes, K. (2025). Exploring the capacity of large language models to assess the chronic pain experience: algorithm development and validation. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27, e65903.  

[2] Ferreira, G., Amidei, J., Nieto, R., & Kaltenbrunner, A. (2025). How Well Do Simulated Population Samples with GPT-4 Align with Real Ones? The Case of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Abbreviated Personality Test. Health Data Science, 5, 0284.

[3] Ferreira, G., Amidei, J., Nieto, R., & Kaltenbrunner, A. (2025). Matching GPT-simulated Populations with Real Ones in Psychological Studies—The Case of the EPQR-A Personality Test. ACM Transactions on Computing for Healthcare, 6(2), 1-33.

[4] Ferreira, G., Kaltenbrunner, A., Amidei, J., & Nieto, R. How well do simulated populations with GPT-4 align with real ones in clinical trials? The case of the EPQR-A personality test. In Artificial Intelligence and Data Science for Healthcare: Bridging Data-Centric AI and People-Centric Healthcare.

e65903.

[5] Hagendorff, T. (2023). Machine psychology: Investigating emergent capabilities and behaviour in large language models using psychological methods. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2303.13988

[6] Nieto, R., Sora, B., Boixadós, M., & Ruiz, G. (2020). Understanding the experience of functional abdominal pain through written narratives by families. Pain Medicine, 21(6), pp. 1093–1105. https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnz147

Co-creation in digital health is key to developing effective, inclusive, appropriate and equitable technological solutions that truly transform health care, as well as including a strong ethical dimension in an emerging field. For this reason, we are working in these aims:

Increase the effectiveness, relevance, sustainability and uptake of digital solutions

Improve personalization, accessibility, adherence and ease of use of health technology

Facilitating the generation of more relevant, accurate data related to patients' real needs through the use of technology

Encourage participatory innovation of technological solutions

Encourage active participation in defining the ethical limits of the use of technology in healthcare

This line of research aims to analyse the evolution of food patterns such as the Mediterranean diet and its relation to the most pressing challenges facing public health. This can be done by monitoring dietary patterns (what we eat and how we eat) and their relation to health.

This line of research involves evaluating the health-related behaviours and health status of the University Community, developing and implementing health promotion actions and interventions and evaluating the effectiveness of those interventions. 

Moreover, it is interesting to assess the interactions between health-related behaviours: healthy eating, physical activity, sleep quality, substance use, self-perceived health, mental health and quality of life.

UOC is part of the Network of Healthy Universities of Catalonia, and is willing to conduct community-based research in public health. Higher education  Institutions have long been concerned about an improvement in health, well-being and quality of life of their students and staff. 

Various changes occur during university and this is a powerful period when one's lifestyle is relatively flexible compared to that of adulthood, and, therefore, university is an important stage for developing healthy habits.

Moreover, the universities have a large number of students who are or will be professionals and politicians, with potential capacity to change the conditions that influence the health of others.

The objectives of this line of research are to study how to face the health and sustainability challenges of dietary patterns. 

Currently, 25% of global climate change is most likely attributable to the food system. This industry is in a constant evolution, with consumers' tastes, practices and preferences shifting over time. In conjunction, the duration and methods of shopping, cooking and eating has drastically changed over time. Facing the future, changes in our food systems will not only have to address the rise in obesity and other diet-related health conditions, but also promote a more sustainable diet for global populations in the pursuit of a healthy planet.

In this context, beyond assessing the environmental impact of our diets and identifying more sustainable ones, we still need to address which actions and tools would encourage consumers to adopt the latter. This should be done by identifying a system of compatibility between nutritional value, the environment, affordability and the acceptable dimensions of sustainable diets.

This line of research is focused on the influence of social and cultural aspects on food's effect on health. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of dietary transformations from a sociocultural perspective and to the application of qualitative methodologies. 

Our interest focused particularly on interdisciplinary research into the evolution of food patterns and their relationship with society and health, thus linking them with nutrition, public health, disease prevention, food culture and social aspects, and health narratives regarding food and nutrition.

This line of research is focused on the relationship between food, diet, and exercise, and their effects on physical activity, sports performance, and health, from both physiological and social perspectives.

This line of research focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in ageing and age-related diseases in order to propose interventions that could ameliorate healthspan and lifespan in the aging population, with a particular focus on women's health. We will use a combination of cellular models, in vivo models and clinical samples to achieve our goals.

We will focus on:

•  The metabolic changes in ageing.
•  Dietary interventions to ameliorate ageing phenotypes.
•  The role of senescent cell accumulation in healthy ageing and disease.
•  Understanding genetic differences that determine women's healthspan.

Increased lifespan in developed countries has resulted in a greatly increased frequency of diseases related to ageing, such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), principally driven by atherosclerosis.  Atherosclerotic CVD remains the leading cause of death worldwide, in Europe and Spain (specifically in women), making prevention and management of CVD of paramount importance for successful and healthy ageing. Lifestyle interventions, including diet, have the potential to provide a basis for primary prevention. On those grounds, this line of research is aimed at:

1) The identification of new biomarkers of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease through, but not limited to, the characterization of protein cargo of extracellular vesicles (EV, microvesicles and exosomes) of vascular and blood origin.  The aim of this line is to identify specific phenotypes of EV released into the bloodstream that allow the reclassification of individuals with a high risk of suffering a cardiovascular event in the short/medium term, regardless of their clinical cardiovascular risk (sex, age, cholesterol, smoking status, etc.). The long-term objective is that these specific phenotypes of CVD could be quantified in the clinical practice and integrated into more precise cardiovascular risk equations, in the context of precision medicine, focused on delaying the progression of cardiovascular disease and the onset of a cardiovascular event.

2) The evaluation of the effects of different dietary compounds, foods, and dietary patterns on the release of EV of vascular and blood origin and in overall cardiovascular risk. This line of research aims to better understand the complex relationship between diet and cardiovascular disease and to contribute to the development of nutritional strategies aimed at reducing CV risk factors, thus delaying the onset and progression of CVD.

This research line aims to explore the Mediterranean Diet from a comprehensive perspective, from molecular biology to public health. The research is focused on identifying biomarkers, examining the impact of diet and lifestyle factors on disease risk, and developing intervention strategies to promote health across the lifespan. 

This research line aims to explore the Mediterranean Diet from a comprehensive perspective, from molecular biology to public health. The research is focused on identifying biomarkers, examining the impact of diet and lifestyle factors on disease risk, and developing intervention strategies to promote health across the lifespan. 

This research line aims to develop strategies for efficient food management, focusing on reducing food waste and maximizing resource utilization across various stages of the food supply chain. The study will incorporate the latest technological innovations, policy frameworks, and industry best practices to create a model for sustainable food management.

This research line aims at the evaluation of public health nutrition interventions, focusing on community interventions and those related to the transfer of knowledge in health.

This line of research is dedicated to the translational and clinical application of chronobiology and nutrition principles to optimize glucose homeostasis in patients at risk of or living with metabolic disease. It focuses on correcting detrimental patterns related to meal timing, daily caloric distribution and sleep to improve metabolic health and generate evidence-based personalized lifestyle interventions.

This line is specifically interested in:

- Assessing the impact of circadian disruption on glucose control: examining how irregular meal schedules, caloric distribution and poor sleep/wake cycles clinically affect glucose regulation involving continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), alongside actigraphs to precisely measure physical activity, sleep and core body temperature.

- Optimizing chrononutrition and sleep interventions: designing and evaluating integrated clinical strategies that combine optimized meal timing with improved sleep quality in metabolic patients. The assessment of treatment efficacy incorporates advanced body composition measures using bioimpedance and nutritional ultrasonography to monitor changes in muscle and fat mass distribution.

- Personalizing dietary timing and caloric distribution: identifying patient-specific patterns, such as chronotypes, that predict optimal metabolic responses to various meal schedules and energy distribution strategies, aiming to create personalized chrononutrition protocols for glucose management.

The objectives for this line of research are:

•  To analyse how situations associated with gender biases and discrimination may have a negative impact on the way people in general, and women in particular, manage their health (for instance academic burnout, psychological well-being, sports, emotions, etc).
•  To examine the possibilities that different qualitative, quantitative and big data analysis techniques offer to the study of health management from a gender perspective.

We have several competitive research grants running related to the present research line. 

Work is undoubtedly one of the most relevant factors that determine people’s health, quality of life and well-being. So, advancing knowledge and promoting the key factors that determine a healthy work environment not only leads to an improvement in workers’ quality of work life, well-being and health, but also it is crucial for the health of organizations (productivity, efficiency, resilience, etc.). 

In this vein, our research aims to develop organizational interventions in order to  promote healthy work environments, and contribute to workers’ health, quality of work life and well-being.

As you can see, we are working on several projects, but we are open to any innovative idea in the area. So we will be happy to hear about your ideas.

People experience stress in their workplaces, understood as harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. Although multiple stressors can be identified in work, currently we can especially highlight three work stressors: 1. Job precarity and job insecurity (concern about the possibility of job loss); 2. Mobbing; and 3. Emotion work, understood as management of one’s own feelings.

In this vein, our research aims to study stress and burnout processes in the workplace, examining different work stressors and burnout factors (i.e. job insecurity, mobbing or work emotion) as well as their potential determinants, consequences and coping strategies.

The digital transformation of jobshas driven the growth of different forms of remote work (i.e. telework, work-from-home, digital platforms). Although these types of employment offer advantages (including greater autonomy and flexibility at work, or more flexibility in reconciling personal and professional life), they also have negative impacts on workers' health and quality of life, including the difficulty of digitally disconnecting from work or technostress. A lack of disconnection can lead to professional exhaustion as a result of increased work demands and difficulty in separating work and rest. 

On the other hand, the appearance of social isolation in remote workers can also increase the risk of excessive digital use. In this line of research, it is proposed to examine the digital disconnection as a tool to prevent the adverse effects on occupational health of the excessive use of digital technologies.

Pain affects a person's ability to perform at work and has a significant impact on quality of life. The relationship between pain and work is a topic that can be approached from a number of perspectives.

Inadequate working conditions can contribute to lumbar and cervical pain.

Pain can also be a common symptom in people with mental health problems such as stress and anxiety.

Our proposal for this line of research is to examine the relationship between work, pain and occupational health.

The aim is to investigate the interaction between different individual characteristics and psychosocial constructs on the one hand, and different dimensions of occupational health and working conditions on the other.

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies have gained prominence in workplace management and decision-making. These technologies offer new avenues for improving organizational processes, increasing productivity, and ensuring employee well-being. 

Furthermore, AI-driven tools can be used to personalize interventions that enhance mental and physical health. The use of AI to optimize work-life balance, predict work-related health risks, and tailor support systems to individual needs could foster a healthier and more sustainable work environment.

This line of research aims to explore the potential of AI and machine learning technologies in promoting a balanced and healthy workplace. 

We are open to innovative ideas and collaborations in this area, and we would be happy to hear your thoughts.

This line of research analyses how the implementation of AI in work environments differentially affects the psychosocial health of workers based on their gender. Among other dimensions, it aims to critically analyse how algorithms reproduce gender biases in key organizational processes, and how automation and digital surveillance intensify workloads and emotional burdens unequally.

The research seeks to identify what psychosocial problems and risks arise with the implementation of AI in the workplace and through what processes it can promote the well-being of workers.

The ultimate goal is to develop a psychosocial intervention framework that mitigates these risks, promoting the design of inclusive AI systems and organizational policies that prioritize gender equality and holistic well-being as pillars of the future of work.

The concept of work-life balance (WLB) has recently established itself as a key component on roadmaps drawn up in the pursuit of social sustainability, both on a local scale, represented by individual organizations, and on a more general one, represented by global institutions such as the United Nations. There is broad consensus on the fact that WLB is of vital importance in industrialized nations and that it is becoming a pressing issue in developing countries as well. In the former case, the massive incorporation of women into the workplace, the rise in the number of single‐parent families and the increase in dependency as a result of ageing populations are some of the factors that explain why the issue of WLB has become a key item on the agendas of a number of European Union states.

We aim to understand, from a gender perspective, the relationship between work-life balance, social sustainability and community health, focusing on the sociopsychological effects it has both on people and their well-being and mental health and on organizations and the dynamics they produce to guarantee sustainability and inclusivity.

We are interested in qualitative research proposals analysing aspects such as:

- How the work dimension of people's lives affects the personal dimension and vice versa.

- How the relationship between the different dimensions affects and influences people's health and well-being.

- How organizations' measures related to WLB impact on the well-being and health of workers.

- How WLB influences sustainability, inclusiveness and equity of organizations.

Telework has appeared in the world of work and organizations as an excellent solution, especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Telework has been analysed from a wide variety of viewpoints, receiving both strong support and harsh criticism. Supporters underline telework's great potential to harmonize the different facets of people's lives; however, other authors reveal its more controversial and negative ramifications.

Our research aims to analyse the relationship between telework and social sustainability. We focus on analysing the different organizational, social, personal and cultural dimensions that influence and determine how teleworking becomes a way of working that promotes well-being and contributes to social sustainability.

We are interested in qualitative research proposals analysing aspects such as:

- Telework as a work-life balance measure and its effects and implications on people's health and well-being.

- The conditions and premises to implement telework in order to contribute to the improvement of labour conditions in organizations and the increase of workers' quality of life.

- How telework can contribute to social sustainability and the integration of organizations in their community.

- How telework can contribute to eliminating gender inequalities and promoting equality.

The objective of this line of research is to analyse the processes of precariousness and intensification of work in the face of the transformations introduced by digitalization. It also aims to understand the effects they have on the health and well-being of workers. The phenomenon of work digitalization is very broad, encompassing the automation of tasks and jobs, the integration of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) systems into work processes, the platformization of work and new ways of managing and organizing work. Its advance is creating new work environments and relationships, as well as new forms of work supervision and control, which present both opportunities and risks for job quality and for occupational health and well-being.

This line invites critical proposals, preferably with an intersectional approach, that analyse the consequences of precariousness and work intensification in digitalized work environments, as well as their unequal impact on the workforce. We seek to better understand the discomforts and suffering associated with work-time experiences (accelerated pace, blurred boundaries, constant connectivity) and the risks of losing labour protections and rights in the context of digital capitalism. Likewise, the study aims to delve into the strategies that workers develop to adapt to, negotiate or resist these labour dynamics and processes.

This line of research explores the complex relationship between work and mental health, as well as the practices and strategies organizations employ to foster healthy work environments. Although it is increasingly common for organizations to recognize the importance of mental health care and address its treatment, psychosocial risk assessment in the workplace remains insufficient and limited. There is still a need to increase visibility and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

This line of research seeks to analyse how mental health is being addressed in organizations, which approaches prevail and what the consequences of their implementation are. It advocates for the need to incorporate critical analyses that propose alternative strategies, ones that do not prioritize an individualistic and positivist approach, but rather address work-related, structural and cultural factors for sustainable well-being.

Language is one of the most essential human abilities, yet many children experience difficulties in acquiring oral and written language, particularly those with neurodevelopmental conditions such as developmental language disorder (DLD). Research has shown that physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, enhances learning and cognitive functioning by promoting neurophysiological processes such as increased cerebral blood flow, neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity.

This doctoral project aims to explore how physical education activities can be integrated into language intervention programmes for children with DLD to enhance oral language abilities –particularly vocabulary, morphosyntax and discourse skills. The research goals are:

• To design and implement a set of physical education-based language intervention sessions targeting core oral language abilities in children with DLD.

• To assess the cognitive and linguistic benefits of integrating moderate aerobic exercise into language learning tasks.

• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of such interventions in real educational settings, in collaboration with teachers and speech-language therapists.

We conduct experimental and applied research using behavioural, linguistic and neurocognitive measures, in partnership with local schools and rehabilitation centres. The PhD thesis will be carried out in collaboration with other members of the Cognition and Language Research Group (GRECIL) at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, and with national and international collaborators.

This line of research investigates language from a multimodal perspective, i.e. taking into account that communicative meanings are conveyed by elements like the melody of speech and the movements of the body. I use a psycholinguistics approach to investigate it from different perspectives:

•  In first language acquisition 
•  In second language acquisition 
•  In children that struggle with communicative and linguistic interactions (such as children with Developmental Language Disorders and in autism) 

I work on the following main research questions (but any project related to the acquisition of phonology, gesture, and pragmatics in typical and clinical populations is welcomed): 

•  How multimodal cues in language (i.e. spoken prosody, body gestures) impact speech and body gestures interact with each other in typically developing children, in children with communication or language disorders, and in the acquisition of a second language?
•  Do early phonological and gesture skills trigger the development of pragmatic abilities and other future linguistic milestones?
•  How does multisensory input (acoustic, visual, tactile) contribute to the acquisition of language in specific populations? 

These research questions are answered using experimental methods such as eye-tracking, act-out tasks, or educational interventions. The PhD thesis will be carried out in collaboration with other members of the Research Group on Cognition and Language (GRECIL) at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, and with other national and international collaborators

Children with communication and language disorders require evidence-based treatments and assessments, which can be delivered by on-site and on-line (i.e., telepractice) interventions, to fully progress in their life achievements. 

Moreover, best practices in speech therapy (also called logopedia, fonoaudiología, orthophonie or logopédie) in clinical and educational settings require of effective and efficient implementation practices taking into consideration clinical expertise, best evidences (external - scientific literature; internal – data and observations) and patient perspectives. 

Another interest of this research line is investigating gesture, pragmatic and language development and intervention (assessment and treatment) in early age populations (new born to 6 years) with typical development and neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental language disorder (DLD; also called specific language impairment). 

This research line focuses on the following general research questions:

1. Which are the best assessment and treatment practices delivered on-site and on-line to improve the condition of young children with language and communication disorders? 
2. How can we improve assessment and treatments in speech therapy by implementing evidence-based practices?
3. How do young children with or without neurodevelopmental disorders develop gesture, pragmatic and language abilities? And which are the best ways to assess and treat gesture, pragmatic and language abilities? 

This line of research is particularly interested in the following research and clinical approaches:

•  Dynamic assessment; standardized assessment; screening; assessment in educational and home contexts
•  Telepractice; videofeedback; synchronous and asynchronous modalities of intervention 
•  Narrative intervention; response-to-intervention practices
•  Evidence-based practice; clinical guidelines; evidence-based implementation
•  Multimodal discourse analysis; eye-tracking technique
•  Early intervention; pragmatic assessment and treatment

The general objective of my research and the work I would supervise for PhD students is to advance the understanding of how children learn language and why this can happen at different speeds.

The methodologies encompass multiple ways of observing and measuring the influences on child development stemming from:

a. interacting internal (e.g. cognitive differences)

b. external (e.g. family environment) influences

Using statistical methods to understand how children’s early cognitive and social abilities (experimental, brain imaging) interact with the quality of the home and intervention environments (observation, health psychology methods). 

Specific projects (students may offer alternative ideas within the general area) 

Language and cognition in deaf children. 

There exists variability in language development in children born deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) with and without cochlear implant. The majority of DHH children have age-appropriate spoken language development compared with their hearing peers (Dettman et al, 2016). Despite this progress some DHH children’s language development continues to be variable. It is estimated that around 30% of children still experience delays (Bruijnzeel, Ziylan, Stegeman, Topsakal & Grolman, 2016). Research studies report that these problems are also apparent in more complex areas of language and during more demanding cognitive tasks (Geers, et al. 2009). Increased difficulties with higher-load tasks suggests that cognitive abilities supporting language development are also variable in DHH infants (Edwards & Isquith, 2020).

The PhD study will test the communication-scaffolding hypothesis (Morgan, Curtin & Bottin 2021) and ask two main questions:

1. Is language development mediated by pre implant parent interaction and EEG synchronicity recordings? 

2.  Is language development mediated by pre implant measures of cognitive and social abilities?

Language and cognition in Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). 

Children with DLD represent the largest group of clinical paediatric participants in research and practice (Leonard, 1996) . Compared with linguistic profiles relatively little is known about their language and cognitive differences (Bishop et al, 2014). The research will look at how the executive function system is involved in the language disorder and what is the mechanism whereby language and cognitive factors interact to produce these outcomes. 

The PhD study will test the language-EF relationship in children with DLD and ask two main questions

1. Is language and cognitive development related in typically developing children and those with DLD? 

2. What factors (SES, intervention, bilingualism etc) mediate language and cognitive development?

The PhD thesis will be carried out in collaboration with other members of the Research Group on Cognition and Language (GRECIL) at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and the Universitat de Barcelona, and with other national and international collaborators. 

The world of emotions and emotional regulation is complex, still full of unknowns as far as research is concerned. However, the new diagnostic approach to neurodevelopmental and learning disorders has broadened our framework of understanding of these disorders. In this framework, socio-emotional difficulties prove key in furthering our knowledge of the disorders' impact on the lives of children with them. This research line proposes a comprehensive approach to the disorders in which the children's families play an important and active part. We aim to better understand the emotional competence difficulties suffered by patients' families, as well as the emotions and difficulties they face throughout the process of finding professional help and securing a diagnosis and treatment.

Main questions:

•  Are emotional well-being and mental health problems associated with neurodevelopmental and learning disorders?

•  How do these disorders impact the emotional, behavioural and social spheres of children and their families?

•  How are emotional well-being and mental health problems evaluated by educational services' professional teams?

Answers to these research questions are sought using experimental methods such as eye-tracking, act-out tasks and educational interventions.

The PhD thesis will be carried out in collaboration with other members of the Cognition and Language Research Group (GRECIL) at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and the University of Barcelona, and with other national and international collaborators.

It is important to bear in mind that the science has been developed within an androcentric and patriarchal system and has therefore incorporated sexist bias in the different stages of the research process. There is a lack of studies with a feminist perspective on neurodevelopmental and learning disorders analysing, for example, the social and cultural aspects associated with sexist stereotypes fostering a bias towards a greater detection of boys and underdiagnosis of girls. In this regard, we want to incorporate methodologies tailor-made for assessing sex and gender variables and their interactions. This could help improve our understanding of the role of the differences between boys and girls in their development, and permit the use of resources and interventions better tuned to the profile in question. 

Main questions:

•  Do neurodevelopmental and learning disorders manifest equally in boys and girls?

•  What do we know about the biological differences of sexes in relation to these disorders?

•  What role does socialization based on sexist stereotypes play in these disorders?

•  Does neurodevelopmental disorder research consider the differences between boys and girls?

This research line attempts to answer all these questions through literature reviews and experimental studies.

The PhD thesis will be carried out in collaboration with other members of the Cognition and Language Research Group (GRECIL) at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and the University of Barcelona, and with other national and international collaborators.

The Clinical Neuropsychology and Applied Neuroscience research line is focused on the study of the neural mechanisms underlying different pathologies that present an abnormal or altered brain functioning. We also focus on the use of non invasive brain stimulation techniques as a therapeutic approach to improve, stimulate and rehabilitate cognitive functions in neurodegenerative disease (mainly Alzheimer’s disease) and in acquired brain injury (traumatic brain injury and stroke).

Nicotine addiction is often characterized by dysfunctional cognitive control, an uncontrolled reward impulse and an altered decision-making process. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can be used to increase self-control in habitual tobacco users, reducing anxiety caused by abstinence and giving up nicotine consumption. This technique has already been successfully used to reduce craving and tobacco consumption, but the optimal parameters to implement it as a common treatment are yet to be established. Our main goal is to improve tDCS treatment parameters used to help smoking cessation.

This research line aims to explore whether background music serves as a cognitive enhancer for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Specifically, it seeks to determine if background music:

•  Modulates arousal and emotion, thereby reinforcing memory traces during encoding and consolidation.
•  Enhances attention (alerting, orienting, and executive attention) through increased arousal.
•  Influences brain activations (as measured by fNIRS) during cognitive tasks.

Additionally, this research will examine musical preferences to understand the role of individual factors in modulating the effects of music on memory and learning.

This research line aims to investigate:

•  How acquired brain damage may affect speech production at various linguistic levels (semantics, lexicon, and phonology) in both monolinguals and bilinguals.
•  The potential association between non-linguistic control deficits (switching, updating, and monitoring) and speech disorders in bilingual speakers with neurodegenerative diseases.
•  Language switching deficits in bilingual individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD).

To address these research questions, cognitive neuropsychological methodologies (single-case or group studies) and psycholinguistic approaches will be employed.

This research line aims to investigate:

•  The influence of bilingualism on memory and executive control, as being the two primary cognitive domains linked to the bilingual advantage in aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
•  The effects of bilingualism on the structural and metabolic characteristics of brain areas known to be influenced by bilingualism during midlife.
•  The longitudinal changes in cognitive and brain reserve linked to bilingualism.

The objective of this project is to disentangle the role of attention, executive functions, and processing speed in the first symptoms of cognitive decline observed in the preclinical stages of the  Alzheimer’s disease. 

The aim of the study is to determine which computerized tests are more sensitive to subtle changes in attention and executive functions at the moment that the patient experience cognitive complaints and during the period in which they are progressing to the initial stages of the Alzheimer’s disease. 

This information will provide us with a solid base to develop more precise cognitive tests that can be used to detect and monitor cognitive decline along the disease spectrum. 

The final objective of this project is to design brand new computerized tests that can be used by experimented neuropsychologists in clinical settings that go beyond -and complement- the measures that are currently applied in memory units. 

The PhD candidate will participate in the study, contributing to selecting these instruments and applying them to patients and controls in clinical settings such as hospitals. In addition, they will collaborate with the analysis and interpretation of the data and its subsequent publication in different international journals or congresses. Finally, they will take part in the development of the new computerized tests.

This project aims to review current methods of quantifying cognitive scores derived from classical neuropsychological testing, focusing on how these methods can be enhanced to more accurately measure subtle cognitive decline during the preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease.

To this end, the research proposes the adoption of novel measures that quantify within-person variability across multiple tests administered at a single time point and can be calculated across all cognitive domains or within specific domains. This approach offers additional predictive utility without substantially increasing the testing burden.

Furthermore, the project advocates for new forms of analysing cross-sectional and longitudinal data, moving beyond categorical outcomes (i.e., change in diagnostic status). This includes employing composite standardized scores to quantify continuous cognitive change between repeated assessments, which is a more sensitive analytical approach, as it corrects for practice effects, test-retest reliability, regression to the mean and baseline performance, thus providing a refined measure of clinically significant cognitive decline. Analysing these advanced measures and data types, particularly over a longitudinal interval, allows for the detection of certain predictive patterns of change, which can then be explored using non-supervised learning algorithms.

The PhD candidate will first review existing neuropsychological and state-of-the-art quantitative methods, using this foundation to operationalize and validate novel, sensitive cognitive indices. A major effort will be devoted to rigorous longitudinal data analysis, employing advanced psychometric techniques to model continuous cognitive change and identify subtle, clinically significant decline. Furthermore, the candidate will use unsupervised machine learning (e.g., clustering) to detect intrinsic subtypes in the conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. The ultimate goal is to develop and cross-validate a robust, data-driven predictive model to accurately identify individuals at high risk of rapid cognitive conversion, which will be instrumental for enriching clinical and research trial cohorts.

This research line is focused on the study of the involvement and functional dissociation of the dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices in different cognitive processes.

In particular, cognitive control involves the activation of two main neural systems with differentiated functions: a dorsal system, which includes the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and a ventral system, which includes the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex.

This line of research aims to deepen the understanding of the dissociation and interaction of these two systems through the application of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Techniques (NIBS). We are particularly interested in characterizing the neural bases of different processes related to cognitive control:

•   Emotional interference on working memory
•   Risk-based decision-making
•   Reward and addiction
•   Numerical cognition and cognitive control
•   Neural basis of video gaming
•   Cognitive control in depression
•   Cognitive control in addiction

This research line looks at how Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative models, persuasive design, and behavioral design can work together to improve health outcomes. Our main goal is to explore how generative AI technologies can be used in persuasive design to influence human behavior, help people make better decisions, and promote health and well-being. 

Harnessing the Octalysis Framework for Health Gamification

In the fields of psychology and behavioral design, our research explores how the Octalysis framework can be applied to create engaging and motivating health interventions. By understanding the core drives that influence human behavior, we aim to design systems that not only promote healthy habits but also sustain user engagement over time. We will also address potential ethical concerns, ensuring that gamification techniques are used responsibly to avoid manipulation and misinformation, fostering a positive impact on health behaviors across diverse populations

Influencing Large Groups of People: In psychology and behavioral sciences, our research carefully examines how persuasive design in AI can shape people’s attitudes and beliefs about health in society. We also want to address issues related to mass manipulation and misinformation in health communication, ensuring that our approaches are ethical and responsible.

We are interested in facilitating the participation of PhD students in the Industrial PhD program of the Generalitat de Catalunya (setting a MOU with a company), and  the application for additional funding.

A central challenge in public health is determining how to effectively support individuals in modifying their behaviours and daily routines. How can behavioural solutions be designed to assist people in managing chronic conditions, improving physical fitness or achieving other personal health goals? Similarly, how can engagement and adherence to clinical guidelines among health professionals be increased? Ultimately, the question is how to develop, implement and evaluate behavioural design strategies that enable public health administrations to deliver effective health promotion interventions.

Behavioural design encompasses the theoretical models and applied strategies that underpin interventions aiming to influence human behaviour. Its objectives are threefold:

• To understand the cognitive and affective mechanisms underlying decision-making processes;

• To identify and describe the key determinants – barriers and facilitators – that must interact for behavioural action to occur; and

• To develop, test and apply evidence-based strategies that support and sustain behaviour change.

Behaviour change techniques constitute a central determinant of the success or failure of digital and online health interventions (eHealth), as these techniques directly influence user engagement, motivation and adherence over time. 

Potential research areas include:

• The development of eHealth interventions aimed at the de-implementation of low-value clinical practices;

• The examination of personal motivation and decision-making processes in the initiation and maintenance of behavioural change;

• The design of persuasive systems for online interventions that promote disease prevention and health promotion; and

• The application of theoretical frameworks such as the Behaviour Change Wheel, Persuasive System Design and the Fogg Behaviour Model to the field of health promotion.

Further information: 

In this research line, we have been working funded both by public and private partners. 

We are interested in facilitating the participation of PhD students in "Industrial Doctoral Programs of the Government of Catalonia (MOU with a company) as the request for additional funds.

Unwanted loneliness is an interdisciplinary topic in which a psychological perspective is especially important, regardless of which group we are referring to (the elderly, people with disabilities, or parents of children with chronic illnesses among others). This research line focuses on:

•  Approaching to loneliness interventions based on behavioral design (both in public policies and individual or group technology-based interventions

•  Targeting those who perceive loneliness

•  Analyzing mediating factors of loneliness in different social groups with a special regard to disabled people

•  The effectiveness of public policies regarding the loneliness perception among specific groups

Further information

In this research line, we have been working funded both by public and private partners.

We are interested in facilitating the participation of PhD students in "Industrial Doctoral Programs of the Government of Catalonia (MOU with a company) as the request for additional funds.

Caring for a person with a long-term condition impacts caregivers' health and deteriorates their quality of life.  Virtual communities of practice for caregivers can provide them with knowledge, social support and coping strategies.

Are virtual communities of practice a goog structure for health?

How is an online intervention based on virtual communities designed?

How are interactions in these communities promoted?

How is a powerful environment for caregivers stimulated?

Virtual communities of practice can be built intentionally to promote knowledge to help with quality care. 

How does (d)HL help people make better decisions about health? How do social networks further the reach of health messages and ultimately improve health?

What skills are needed by people (professionals and the public) to navigate digital healthcare services?

Health literacy is an issue on the global agenda and one of the three pillars of health promotion.

Health literacy means more than simply being able to 'read pamphlets', 'make appointments', 'understand food labels' or 'comply with prescribed actions' from a doctor.

It is not just a personal skill. Rather, it depends on individual skills, community resources, and the complexity and demands of the health system.

Health literacy aims to:

•  Improve health and quality of life from a public health perspective; and
•  Support informed and efficient decision-making around health.

Research topics:

•  Learning ecologies in digital mental health in adolescents through social networks.
•  Assessing and promoting health literacy and digital health literacy among health professionals, patients and the wider public.
•  Health interventions through social networks.

Within this research line, we are now working with public and private funds, and together with mental health institutions and the Spanish Network for Health Literacy.

We are interested in admitting PhD students to apply for "Industrial Doctoral Programs of the Government of Catalonia" (implying a memorandum of understanding with a company), as well as the application for additional funds.

Our main goal is to investigate different areas of human sexuality, in order to improve the discipline of sexology. This line is geared towards sexual health; hence, we are interested in understanding the components that impact sexual health from different perspectives. We are especially interested in psychological assessment, new psychological therapies for sexual dysfunctions, the promotion of sexual health among young people, the implication of sexism in sexuality and the prevention of sexual violence. 

Broadly speaking, we have three main research lines: sexual function, sexual health promotion and sexual victimization. Above all, we are interested in the interactions between these three areas. 

Research topics:

● Sexual function: We would like to explore new ways of assessment (AI included), test new treatment effectiveness and gain deeper insight into the conditioning factors of sexual (dys-)functions.

● Sexual health promotion: This line focuses on adolescents and young adults. We not only search for strategies to increase condom use and reduce unplanned pregnancies, but we also extend our research to all aspects of comprehensive sexual health (homophobia, transphobia, sexism, pleasure, etc.).

● Sexual victimization: In this last topic, we focus mainly on sexual violence by men against women. Thus, knowing the reality of women, understanding the contexts of violence and being able to design interventions aimed at reducing sexual violence are some of this line's sub-objectives.

Our research seeks to contribute to enhancement of the quality of psychological interventions in both individual and in couple and family therapy from an integrative perspective. Within this field, we pay special attention to the following topics: self-identity and change; relational welfare; narrative change; systemic therapy; grief therapy; couple and sexual therapy; patterns of interpersonal interaction.

We aim at developing applied research projects focused on the improvement of the socio-sanitary response to participants with different health problems, as well as the promotion of psychological and relational welfare in the community. 

Research topics:

• Focused on the development of innovative methodologies of constructivist assessment of change, relational dynamics or personal identity, especially through the use of ICT (Virtual/Mixed Reality and Health).
• Focused on the study of the role of relational welfare in psychological and physical health.
• Focused on the effectiveness of individual, family and couple psychotherapy, from a practitioner-oriented approach.

Our research focuses on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and conversational agents to enhance psychotherapy training and clinical expertise development. Within this line, we explore how natural language models, embodied conversational agents and immersive simulations can be applied to foster reflective learning, empathy and therapeutic skills among psychotherapists in training.

This research area bridges clinical psychology, psychotherapy education and human-AI interaction, aiming to evaluate the effectiveness, ethical considerations and pedagogical potential of AI-assisted training environments. We are particularly interested in understanding how AI-generated dialogues, adaptive feedback systems and virtual role-play scenarios can support the acquisition of relational and technical skills essential for therapeutic practice.

Research topics:

 ● AI-driven conversational simulations for psychotherapy training.

 ● Development and validation of virtual patients and AI supervisors for reflective learning.

 ● Evaluation of user experience, perceived realism and skill transfer in AI-based simulations.

 ● Ethical, pedagogical and relational implications of AI in psychotherapy education.

Our research seeks to enhance the quality of psychologically informed virtual, augmented and mixed reality interventions in psychotherapy and clinical psychology.

Virtual, augmented and mixed reality is an emerging field within psychotherapy and human-computer interaction that seeks to understand how immersive and interactive technologies can be used in evidence-based well-being interventions. Our research focus is twofold:

1. Basic experimental research: We aim to develop conceptual frameworks and experimental designs to understand how virtual reality can be used effectively to influence the identity and well-being of individuals, families and communities.

2. Application: We focus on the development and validation of virtual reality experiences to promote psychological and relational well-being in a variety of clinical and non-clinical settings.

Research topics:

● Virtual reality in psychotherapy for the treatment of psychological problems.

● Virtual reality to promote relational well-being in couples and families.

● Virtual reality for the training of psychotherapists.

This doctoral research line focuses on exploring the application of artificial intelligence (AI), intelligent conversational agents and virtual reality (VR) to enhance the psychology practicum, which is the supervised field training component of bachelor's and master's degrees in Psychology.

It aims to design immersive and interactive environments that support the training, supervision and evaluation of professional, ethical and clinical skills in realistic yet controlled scenarios, potentially offering a safe and flexible complement to traditional practicum experiences.

Possible research topics:

- Simulation of clinical interviews and ethical dilemmas in immersive virtual environments.

- Use of AI-driven conversational agents for skill development.

- Automated assessment of ethical, interpersonal and decision-making skills.

- Design of reflective and supervisory virtual environments for practicum learning.

- Understanding the differences between real-world and simulated practice and how they complement each other.

Further information:

This research line is part of a UOC institutional educational project.

Our research starts from the study of psychopathology and clinical psychology to better understand certain clinical disorders, their risk and protection factors and the processes of adaptation to adversity. Thus, some of the topics addressed are the evaluation and diagnosis of psychopathological conditions, the assessment of psychotherapy outcomes and processes, routine monitoring, the psychopathology of trauma, victimization and resilience processes, and response to psychosocial stressors (grief and loss, crisis intervention, care responsabilities, etc.)

Research topics:

•  Focused on the psychology of bond and affective relationships: stress management, grief and loss, adaptation processes, separations/divorces, psychosocial stressors, etc.
•  Focused on the field of emergency psychology: study of the benefits of early crisis intervention, communication of bad news, needs of victims and social support, effectiveness of interventions in trauma, care for vulnerable groups (evictions, immigration, etc.).
•  Focused on victimization: forms, risk and protective factors, intervention programs with victims, child abuse, sexual abuse/assault, partner violence, workplace/school harassment, etc.

Relationship between natural spaces and biodiversity and human health, with special emphasis on non-communicable diseases, mental health and well-being. Above all, we focus on inequality in health, exploring different areas of inequality with an intersectional and gender perspective.

Relationship between climate change and human health, with special emphasis on the effect of high temperatures. We are currently focusing on the health of particularly vulnerable groups, such as workers and the elderly.

In this vein, our research aims to study stress and burnout processes in the workplace, examining different work stressors and burnout factors (i.e. job insecurity, mobbing or work emotion) as well as their potential determinants, consequences and coping strategies.

Relationship between environmental pollution and human health, with special emphasis on the health of vulnerable populations. We are currently focusing on heavy metal pollution among indigenous communities in the Global South.

We focus on the incorporation of Planetary Health as a cross-cutting theme in other university bachelor’s degrees and on supporting the development of new postgraduate programmes in Planetary Health.

This research line focuses on understanding how environmental factors (air pollution, temperature, noise, natural spaces, and sustainable diets) during pregnancy and early childhood influence child health and health across the lifespan through epigenetic and transcriptomic mechanisms. In addition, the research explores these mechanisms as potential biomarkers of exposure and risk, as well as their possible intergenerational and multigenerational transmission.