We conduct multilevel studies social environment, genetic, brain, psychological) to understand risk and resilience factors and mechanisms in mental (ill) health from a transdiagnostic and dimensional framework. Our work integrates individual differences in nonclinical, at risk and clinical samples, incorporating novel methods such as ecological momentary assessment. This work informs early detection and intervention studies as well as resilience-building and
prevention programs. Specific lines comprise the psychosis  spectrum; the role of mentalizing capacity for resilience and ill outcomes; emotion perception (and its brain basis) as a critical factor underlying the social cognition impairment present in risk status for most mental disorders; and novel methods of gene-person-environment interaction. This research has immediate and long-term potential for knowledge transferece to a large variety of preventative initiatives in clinical, educational and general population contexts.

Neus Vidal Barrantes