Coping and Caregiving Experiences Among Siblings of Individuals with Severe Mental Disorders Carolina Reyes-González, Mª Nieves Pérez-Marfil, Isabel C. Salazar Healthcare Switzerland, 2026 Background/Objective: Informal caregiving for individuals with severe mental disorders (SMDs) often leads to significant psychological distress. However, the specific coping strategies that determine mental health outcomes among siblings remain poorly understood. This study aimed to analyze the predictive capacity of various coping strategies regarding health, perceived stress, self-esteem, and caregiving experience for siblings. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of siblings of patients with SMDs (N = 60) from mental health service. Self-report measures were used to assess perceived health, perceived stress, self-esteem, coping strategies, and caregiving experience. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed for each dependent variable, controlling for collinearity. Results: The siblings reported a higher mean use of problem-focused coping strategies compared to emotion-focused coping strategies. Regression models were statistically significant for all analyzed variables, except for somatic symptoms. Emotion-focused maladaptive coping (EFMC) strategies emerged as the most consistent and powerful predictor, showing a significant association with positive caregiving appraisal (β = 0.657), depression (β = 0.500), poor health (β = 0.453), negative stress (β = 0.449), social dysfunction (β = 0.429), self-esteem (β = −0.390), and anxiety (β = 0.368). In contrast, problem-focused strategies were largely non-significant, except for an association with positive and negative aspects of caregiving (βPFMC = 0.509, βPFMC = 0.312, respectively), and positive stress (βPFAC = −0.272). Conclusions: These results suggest that while siblings of people with SMDs report a greater use of problem-focused coping strategies, the adoption of EFMC strategies is the most detrimental factor observed, given their negative influence on mental health, self-esteem, and caregiving experience.
Are FoMO, Experiential Avoidance, and Emotional Distress Related to Problematic Social Network Use in Young Adults? Isabel C. Salazar, Raquel Santamaría-Perales, Ana M. Cuevas-Toro Healthcare Switzerland, 2025 Background/Objectives: Social networks have brought exciting possibilities for interacting with others in real time, anywhere in the world. However, problematic social network use (PSNU) causes distress and dysfunction in daily life. Young people may be vulnerable due to their high degree of digital connectivity and the particularities of psychosocial development. The primary aim of this study was to assess the presence of PSNU and its relationship with anxiety, depression, stress, fear of missing out (FoMO), and experiential avoidance in young people, while also examining gender differences. Methods: An online survey was conducted with a non-probabilistic sample of 219 young people between the ages of 18 and 25 (M = 20.50, SD = 2.42; 74.4% women), which included self-report measures of the aforementioned variables. Results: A total of 27.4% reported PSNU, but there were no differences by gender. PSNU was positively and significantly related to all the variables analyzed, with the highest correlations being with FoMO and experiential avoidance, especially in women. Regression analysis showed that the set of variables explains 17.2% of the variance in PSNU, but only FoMO contributed positively and significantly to PSNU in the overall sample and in women, but not in men. Conclusions: This is the first study to jointly compare the predictive power of key variables (anxiety, depression, stress, experiential avoidance, and FoMO) on PSNU in young adults. Additionally, we examined gender differences and utilized validated instruments. Our results show that only FoMO plays a relevant role in accounting for PSNU variance, although more so in women than in men. Also, the scores in experiential avoidance are significantly higher in women compared with men. These results support the idea that PSNU may serve as a strategy for avoiding distress, specifically FoMO, particularly in women. In terms of clinical implications, it would be highly interesting to analyze the ways and contexts in which social media could be used in a healthier manner and in alignment with personal values.
PERSONALITY DISORDERS, FACT OR FICTION? THE DARK FUTURE OF THEIR DIAGNOSIS Vicente Caballo, Andrea López, Isabel Salazar Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2024 The categorical diagnosis of personality disorders (PDs) has been criticized for various reasons, among which are overlapping of symptoms between different disorders, their high comorbidity, and the dichotomous nature of their diagnosis. These criticisms have led to the development of a dimensional approach in the latest versions of the classification systems, DSM-5/DSM-5-TR and ICD-11, considering two substantial aspects for its new diagnosis: personality functioning, and a series of pathological features. Despite the large amount of literature that has been published since the beginning of this century on this dimensional proposal, it is not clear, to date, that this approach enhances clinical utility. The vague, abstract, and inoperative exposition of what constitutes personality functioning and the complex and forced designation of major and minor traits (facets) in the DSM-5/DSM-5-TR, and only major and optional traits in the ICD-11, complicate, in an unusual way, the dimensional diagnosis of PDs. This paper discusses all of these issues in an attempt to shed some light on the potentially dark future of the current PDs panorama.
Introduction Current status of research on social anxiety and relationship with psychoeducational variables: An international perspective Vicente E. Caballo, Isabel C. Salazar European Journal of Education and Psychology, 2022 Social anxiety, and its most extreme condition, social anxiety disorder, is a common international problem today. The recent Covid-19 pandemic has brought relief, at least temporarily, to many social anxiety sufferers. The decrease in face-to-face social interactions and the use of face masks have reduced the usually daily discomfort of those interactions. But it has also frozen in time the practice of their social skills and served as a safe refuge from experiencing the daily symptoms of social anxiety so often. We can say, therefore, that the pandemic has served as a reinforcement of social withdrawal behaviors for people with social anxiety, both in children and in adolescents and adults.
International application of the “multidimensional intervention for social anxiety” (misa) program: II. treatment effectiveness for social anxiety-related problems Isabel Salazar, Vicente Caballo, Víctor Arias, Joshua Curtiss, Alicia Rossitto, et al. Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2022 In a previous work (Caballo et al., 2021) we tested the effectiveness of the Multidimensional Intervention for Social Anxiety (MISA) program in reducing social anxiety symptoms. In this quasi-experimental study, with pre/post-treatment and follow-up measures, we examined the impact of the MISA program on other problems related to social anxiety. 57 people diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD), according to DSM-5, were assessed with a diagnostic interview and questionnaires measuring social skills, depression, avoidant personality disorder symptoms, alcoholism, self-esteem, personal sensitivity, worries, and quality of life. Different therapists carried out the treatment in Ecuador, Spain, and Paraguay. The results showed significant improvements at post-treatment in virtually all measures assessing the above variables, improvements that were maintained at six months. Effect sizes on treatment effectiveness ranged from medium to large. The MISA program was also compared with individual cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacological treatment, with favorable results for the MISA program. In conclusion, this new program for the treatment of social anxiety has a significant impact on other problems usually related to SAD.
International application of the “multidimensional intervention for social anxiety” (Misa) program: I. treatment effectiveness in patients with social anxiety Vicente Caballo, Isabel Salazar, Joshua Curtiss, Rosa Gómez, Alicia Rossitto, et al. Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2021 Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most prevalent disorders worldwide. The goal of this study was to test the effectiveness of the new program “Multidimensional Intervention for Social Anxiety” (MISA) for the treatment of SAD. Sixty-seven people diagnosed with SAD, according to the DSM-5, participated in this study, and they were assessed by means of a semi-structured interview (Salazar & Caballo, 2018) and two self-report measures for social anxiety, the SAQ (Caballo, Salazar, Arias, et al., 2010) and the LSAS-SR (Liebowitz, 1987). Different therapists delivered the treatment in Ecuador, Spain, Paraguay, and Puerto Rico. The results showed significant improvements from pre-treatment to post-treatment, which were maintained at six months. The effect size was between 1 and 2 and, on many occasions, was greater than 2. Although it was compared with a cognitive behavioral therapy group and a pharmacological treatment group, with favorable results for the MISA program, the low number of subjects in the latter groups does not allow clear deductions to be made. In conclusion, this new program for the treatment of social anxiety seems highly effective in the short and medium term and its positive results seem generalizable to different countries.
A new multidimensional intervention for social anxiety: The misa program 1 Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2019
Assessing social anxiety in Chile: Validation of the social anxiety questionnaire for adults (SAQ) Revista Iberoamericana De Diagnostico Y Evaluacion Psicologica, 2018
Self-esteem and its relationship with social anxiety and social skills Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2018
Development and validation of a new social skills assessment instrument: The Social Skills Questionnaire (CHASO) Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2017
Assertiveness and health of family caregivers of patients with severe mental illness Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2014
Assertiveness and its relationship to emotional problems and burnout in healthcare workers Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2014
La capacidad predictiva de la asertividad en las recaídas de los drogodependientes Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2014
The relationship between social skills and social anxiety and personality styles/disorders Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2014
Assessing social skills: The factorial structure and other psychometric properties of four self-report measures Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2014
The assessment of social anxiety through five selfreport measures, LSAS-SR, SPAI, SPIN, SPS, and SIAS: A critical analysis of their factor structure Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2013
Development and validation of a new self-report assessment measure of bullying Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2012
A new self-report assessment measure of social phobia/anxiety in children: The Social Anxiety Questionnaire for Children (SAQ-C24) Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2012
School bullying and social anxiety in children (II): A proposal for intervention in play format Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2011
School bullying and social anxiety in children (I): Analysis of their relationship and development of new assessment tools Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2011
A review of the relationship between bullying and social anxiety Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2011
Personality styles and personality disorders: Psychometric characteristics of the quot;Exploratory Questionnaire of Personality-IIIquot; (CEPER-III) Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2011
Validation of the social anxiety questionnaire for adults (SAQ-A30) with Spanish university students: Similarities and differences among degree subjects and regions Behavioral Psychology Psicologia Conductual, 2010
Assessing young university students' behaviour regarding health Revista De Salud Publica, 2010
Adherence to treatment in HIV/AIDS infection. Theoretical and methodological considerations for dealing with this problem Acta Colombiana De Psicologia, 2009
Social anxiety in 18 nations: Sex and age differences Psicologia Conductual, 2008
Introduction Psicologia Conductual, 2007
Psychological cognitive behavioral crisis intervention related to disasters: A theorical framework Psicologia Conductual, 2007
A new instrument for the assessment of social phobia/anxiety: The "Social Interaction Questionnaire for Adults" Psicologia Conductual, 2006
Alcohol and tobacco use in Colombian youth: Psychosocial risk and protection factors Psicologia Conductual, 2006
Lifestyle-related beliefs of young Latin-Americans Psicologia Conductual, 2005
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Coping and Caregiving Experiences Among Siblings of Individuals with Severe Mental Disorders C Reyes-González, MN Pérez-Marfil, IC Salazar Healthcare 14 (3), 388 , 2026 2026
Are FoMO, Experiential Avoidance, and Emotional Distress Related to Problematic Social Network Use in Young Adults? IC Salazar Torres, R Santamaría-Perales, AM Cuevas Toro MDPI , 2025 2025
Are FoMO, Experiential Avoidance, and Emotional Distress Related to Problematic Social Network Use in Young Adults? IC Salazar, R Santamaría-Perales, AM Cuevas-Toro Healthcare 13 (22), 2988 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Some Pathological and Non-Pathological Characteristics of the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) VE Caballo, IC Salazar, MISA Team Behavioral Psychology/Psicología Conductual 33 (2), 46124 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Cognitive behavior therapy IC Salazar, VE Caballo, AM Cuevas Elsevier , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Personality disorders, fact or fiction? The dark future of their diagnosis VE Caballo, AL Fernández, IC Salazar Behavioral Psychology/Psicología Conductual 32 (1), 5-40 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Los trastornos de la personalidad¿ realidad o ficción?: el sombrío futuro de su diagnóstico VEC Manrique, AL Fernández, IC Salazar Psicología conductual= behavioral psychology: Revista internacional de … , 2024 2024
Manual de psicopatología y trastornos psicológicos: adaptado al DSM-5-TR ya la CIE-11 VE Caballo, IC Salazar, JA Carrobles Manual de psicopatología y trastornos psicológicos: adaptado al DSM-5-TR ya … , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
Intervención psicológica en la salud, la autoestima y el afrontamiento de hermanos de pacientes con trastornos mentales graves C Reyes-González, MN Pérez-Marfil, GM Roldán, IC Salazar Clínica y Salud 35 (2), 85-93 , 2024 2024
Psychological intervention on health, self-esteem, and coping in siblings of patients with severe mental disorders C Reyes-González, MN Pérez-Marfil, GM Roldán, IC Salazar Clínica y Salud 35 (2), 85-93 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Los trastornos de la personalidad¿ realidad o ficción? El sombrío futuro de su diagnóstico VE Caballo, AL Fernández, IC Salazar Psicol. conduct, 5-40 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
Trastorno de la personalidad VEC Manrique, LR Soto, ICS Torres Manual de psicopatología y trastornos psicológicos: adaptado al DSM-5-TR ya … , 2024 2024
Social anxiety: Linking cognitive-behavioral therapy and strategies of third-generation therapies IC Salazar, SG Hofmann, VE Caballo Handbook of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Disorder, 265-279 , 2023 2023 Citations: 2
Treating social anxiety with the MISA program: A case study IC Salazar, VE Caballo Handbook of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Disorder, 481-490 , 2023 2023
Aspectos psicológicos del cáncer y su afrontamiento DC SÁNCHEZ, ICS TORRES Psicología de la salud: Abordaje integral de la enfermedad crónica 3 , 2022 2022 Citations: 17
Psicología de la salud: abordaje integral de la enfermedad crónica MA Quintero, DC Sánchez, IS Torres Editorial El Manual Moderno , 2022 2022 Citations: 6
International application of the IC Salazar Torres, VE Caballo Manrique, MISA Research Team Fundación VECA para el Avance de la Psicología Clínica Conductual , 2022 2022
Introduction Current status of research on social anxiety and relationship with psychoeducational variables: An international perspective VEC Manrique, ICS Torres European journal of education and psychology 15 (2), 3-6 , 2022 2022 Citations: 1
International application of the" Multidimensional Intervention for Social Anxiety"(MISA) program: I. Treatment effectiveness in patients with social anxiety (vol 29, pg 517, 2021) VE Caballo, IC Salazar, J Curtiss, RB Gomez, AM Rossitto, MF Coello, ... BEHAVIORAL PSYCHOLOGY-PSICOLOGIA CONDUCTUAL 30 (1), 333-333 , 2022 2022
Aplicación internacional del programa “Intervención multidimensional para la ansiedad social”(IMAS): II. Eficacia del tratamiento para problemas relacionados con la ansiedad social IC Salazar, VE Caballo, V Arias, J Curtiss, AM Rossitto, RBG Araujo, ... Psicología conductual= behavioral psychology: Revista internacional de … , 2022 2022 Citations: 9
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Comportamiento y salud de los jóvenes universitarios: satisfacción con el estilo de vida LFL Soto, ICS Torres, MTV Arévalo, JAT Cardona, AR Sarria Pensamiento psicológico 5 (12), 71-88 , 2009 2009 Citations: 455
Creencias sobre la salud y su relación con las prácticas de riesgo o de protección en jóvenes universitarios. M Arrivillaga, IC Salazar, D Correa Colombia médica 34 (4), 186-195 , 2003 2003 Citations: 417
Consumo de drogas en jóvenes universitarios y su relación de riesgo y protección con los factores psicosociales D Cáceres, I Salazar, M Varela, J Tovar Universitas psychologica 5 (3), 521-534 , 2006 2006 Citations: 399
Actividad física y sedentarismo en jóvenes universitarios de Colombia: prácticas, motivos y recursos para realizarlas MT Varela, C Duarte, IC Salazar, LF Lema, JA Tamayo Colombia médica 42 (3), 269-277 , 2011 2011 Citations: 394
Manual de psicopatologia VE Caballo, A Carrobles, I Salazar Madrid: Pirámide , 2014 2014 Citations: 233
El consumo de alcohol, tabaco y otras drogas, como parte del estilo de vida de jóvenes universitarios M Arrivillaga Revista colombiana de psicología , 2004 2004 Citations: 229
Creencias relacionadas con el estilo de vida de jóvenes latinoamericanos MA Quintero, T ICS Psicol Conduct Behav Psychol Rev Int Psicol Clínica Salud 13 (1), 19-36 , 2005 2005 Citations: 193
Differences in social anxiety between men and women across 18 countries VE Caballo, IC Salazar, MJ Irurtia, B Arias, SG Hofmann, ... Personality and individual differences 64, 35-40 , 2014 2014 Citations: 172
Consumo de sustancias psicoactivas ilegales en jóvenes: factores psicosociales asociados MTV Arévalo Pensamiento psicológico 3 (8), 31-45 , 2007 2007 Citations: 157
Measuring social anxiety in 11 countries VE Caballo, IC Salazar, MJ Irurtia, B Arias, SG Hofmann European Journal of Psychological Assessment , 2010 2010 Citations: 153
The multidimensional nature and multicultural validity of a new measure of social anxiety: The Social Anxiety Questionnaire for Adults VE Caballo, IC Salazar, MJ Irurtia, B Arias, SG Hofmann, ... Behavior therapy 43 (2), 313-328 , 2012 2012 Citations: 142
Evaluación de las conductas de salud en jóvenes universitarios IC Salazar-Torres, M Varela-Arévalo, LF Lema-Soto, JA Tamayo-Cardona, ... Revista de Salud Pública 12, 599-611 , 2010 2010 Citations: 133
Relación de las habilidades sociales con la ansiedad social y los estilos/trastornos de la personalidad VE Caballo, I Salazar, MJ Irurtia, P Olivares, J Olivares Fundación VECA para el Avance de la Psicología Clínica Conductual 22, 401-422 , 2014 2014 Citations: 128
Adherencia al tratamiento en la infección por vih/sida: consideraciones teóricas y metodológicas para su abordaje MT Varela Arévalo, IC Salazar Torres, D Correa Sánchez Acta colombiana de psicología 11 (2), 101-113 , 2008 2008 Citations: 128
La autoestima y su relación con la ansiedad social y las habilidades sociales VE Caballo, JA Piqueras, C Antona, MJ Irurtia, IC Salazar, P Bas, ... Psicol. conduct. , 2018 2018 Citations: 125
Psychometric properties of an innovative self-report measure: The Social Anxiety Questionnaire for adults. VE Caballo, B Arias, IC Salazar, MJ Irurtia, SG Hofmann Psychological assessment 27 (3), 997 , 2015 2015 Citations: 116
Desarrollo y validación de un nuevo instrumento para la evaluación de las habilidades sociales: El “Cuestionario de habilidades sociales”(CHASO) V Caballo, IC Salazar Fundación VECA para el Avance de la Psicología Clínica Conductual , 2017 2017 Citations: 115
Estilos, rasgos y trastornos de la personalidad: interrelaciones y diferencias asociadas al sexo V Caballo, J Guillén, I Salazar Psico 40 (3), 319-327 , 2009 2009 Citations: 101
Social anxiety in 18 nations: Sex and age differences VE Caballo, IC Salazar, MJ Irurtia, B Arias, SG Hofmann, ... Behavioral Psychology/Psicología Conductual 16 (2), 163-187 , 2008 2008 Citations: 95
DESARROLLO Y VALIDACIÓN DE UNA NUEVA MEDIDA DE AUTOINFORME PARA EVALUAR EL ACOSO ESCOLAR (BULLYING). VE Caballo, M Calderero, B Arias, IC Salazar, MJ Irurtia Behavioral Psychology/Psicología Conductual 20 (3) , 2012 2012 Citations: 92