ICREA Award granted to Professor Neus Vidal Barrantes

Her research program focuses on studying how the interaction of genes, psychosocial environmental factors, and person characteristics shape risk and resilience in mental health. This research challenges the dogma that mental disorders are genetic-based brain illnesses and tests the hypothesis that the genetics of mental disorders are largely the genetics of sensitivity to the psychosocial environment. Her research examines individual differences in sensitivity from a genetic and psychological perspective, and considers whether the interaction of sensitivity with both adverse and protective environments impacts mental suffering as well as positive features such as wellbeing. Most research has focused on negative environments and poor outcomes. Our dimensional approach encompasses from personality traits to clinical disorders, and includes positive outcomes such as creativity. We use mobile technologies, which enhance ecological validity, to map person-context interactions and their impact on the dynamic expression of mental suffering and wellbeing.

This work has clinical applications, as understanding real-life trait/symptom variation and its internal and situational determinants is critical for improving diagnoses and tailoring individualized treatments. Validation of this framework would challenge our current concept of mental disorders, the pessimistic view of ‘vulnerability’ or ‘at risk’ status, and their associated social stigma. It offers empirical evidence for implementing positive psychology interventions in clinical/community settings.