Caterina Calderon

Since 2021, I have been a Reader in Psychology at the Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology Department at the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Barcelona (UB). I obtained my PhD. in 2003 at the University of Barcelona. I am the coordinator of the HealtyOnco research group, registered in MEC in 2019 (identification num.: 642763672). I have two six-year research periods recognized by the the AQU (last: 2014-20), and advanced research accreditation (equivalent to Full Professor, 2021).
My scientific contribution to the advancement of knowledge in science and technology over the past 10 years has primarily focused on cancer and mental health. Since 2015, I have been the principal investigator of seven projects: the NEOBIC-VR (PRYES246682CALD) funded by Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), NEOPSICO project (PID2022-1373170OB-100) funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, and by the European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR (2023-26), and projects funded by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (FSEOM): NEOcoping, NEOetic I and II, NEOcare (FSEOM 2015-present), as well as the project funded by AstraZeneca on Immunotherapy (ES2020-1939; 2020-present). We have a network of over 53 oncologists from 21 hospitals in all autonomous communities. The objective is to understand the protective and risk factors in the QoL of cancer patients.
My research activity has focused on three main lines: Psycho-oncology on topics such as coping, quality of life, psychological distress, shared decision-making, Pediatric Gastroenterology on topics such as home enteral nutrition, microbiota, abdominal pain, and Educational Psychology on topics such as engagement, procrastination, phubbing, and academic performance. I am also a researcher in four competitive research projects, funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (2023-27); Ministry of Education and Science (2014-16 and 2018-21); Ministry of Health and Social Policy (2010-12); two European projects (2020-1-DE02-KA227-ADU-008174; 639226), one from the Generalitat de Catalunya DEMOC (EXI077/21/000002), and I have led four university teaching projects since 2010 (REDICE22-3240, REDICE20-2401, REDICE18-1960, and REDICE16-1002). Since 2014, I have been a member of the Consolidated Research Group (SGR) on the invariance of instruments to quantify and analyze change in the Social and Health Fields (GEIMAC; 2014SGR14: 2017SGR1681 and 2021SGR01071) of the UB, and a member of the GID-CAV Innovation in Teaching group, awarded the University of Barcelona’s Distinction for Quality Teaching in 2020.
Regarding publications and research results dissemination, I am a co-author of more than 128 articles published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals (WOS-JCR), many of them in the first quartile (Q1), such as Supportive Care Cancer, Psycho-Oncology, BMC Palliative Care, Cancers, Scientific Reports, International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. I regularly collaborate with international researchers [Carol C. Wu, Junsheng Ma, Michael H. Kroll and Cristhiam Rojas (University of Texas, MD Anderson Center, Houston, USA), Juan Esteban Gómez (Universidad Icese, Colombia), Stephania Galindo (Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia) and Lilianne Gómez (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)] with whom I have co-authored more than 20 publications in Q1 JCR journals.
My H index in the Web of Science is 25 and in Google Scholar is 29. Our scientific works have received 3,700 (Google Scholar) and 3,543 (WOS) citations. More than 63 of them have been cited more than 15 times and 12 of them more than 50. I am a co-author of 31 books and book chapters published by prestigious publishers, such as Lawrence Erlbaum, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, or Pirámide Editorial. I coordinated two manuals on procrastination and time management (Publications UB). I have been invited to give lectures at national and international scientific meetings and to participate in symposia at international conferences. Our research group has a constant activity of presenting communications and posters at national and international scientific meetings/conferences. Some of our research works have been awarded at conferences and by different institutions since 2007 (for example: FSEOM, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, SEPO – Spanish Society of PsychoOncology, 2016, SEGHNP, Spanish Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, 2007).
It is also worth emphasizing more personal, such as my persistence/will over time that have crystalized into great productivity, both in accreditations and publications in the form of theses; my capacity for teamwork, evident in the numerous groups I belong to and co-authorship in publications; the open mindedness that enables me to work across disciplines; creativity to adapt, innovate, improve, and ask new questions.
Regarding the contribution to the training of young researchers, I have supervised 24 doctoral theses at more than 10 different universities in 8 different autonomous communities: 8 in Medicine (UAM 2024; UVa, 2024; ESDUVa, 2023; UPV/EHU, 2021; UV, since 2012), 6 in Psychology (UB since 2017, and UAO 2017), and 8 in Education (UB, since 2015). Currently, I am supervising another 10 theses: 4 in Psychology, 3 in Medicine and 2 in Education. We have advanced their careers, with over 30 JCR publications, all working in fields related to their theses, some still in our research team.
Regarding my activities in the dissemination of scientific knowledge, I have trained psychologists and third-sector professionals working with adolescents and adults through various educational program, both public (Public Health Directorate, Government of Catalonia) and private (HSJD Foundation: "Health Promotion" program). For societal contributions, I leverage a network of Spanish researchers to create an association that disseminates our results and advises cancer patients (www.healthyonco.com).