Institute for International Internet Interventions for Health (i4Health) Lab

We are looking for students with the following attributes:   

Required:

• Strong interest in the prevention and treatment of depression in adults
• Documented commitment to serving underserved populations
• Committed to doing an online dissertation using Qualtrics
• Excellent writing ability and intention to publish your work in professional and popular journals

Preferred:

• Advanced speaking, reading, and writing ability in Spanish or other languages
• Experience with online survey development (ideally using Qualtrics)
• Experience producing multimedia presentations, such as videos and animations
• Strong database management and data analysis skills

>Attend weekly lab meetings during Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters, and spend ~7 additional hours/week on research activities related to lab projects as follows:

>During the first year in the lab: 

• Become familiar with current online projects by assisting with data management, data analysis, creation of tables and figures, and coauthoring posters, presentations, and articles.
• Assist with creation of online projects, including constructing intervention websites or apps, videos, and methods to disseminate them widely.
• Fall Quarter, 2022: Take the online CONCEPT course “Evidence-Based Internet Interventions to Reduce Health Disparities” taught by Muñoz.                
• Winter Quarter, 2023: Completing a first draft of their dissertation proposal and a first prototype version of an online intervention website using Qualtrics.

>Throughout their time in the lab: Contribute to lab projects. Students will have the opportunity to participate in all stages of the research process: writing articles, submitting IRBs, literature reviews, participant recruitment, data collection and analysis, poster and paper publications.

>Submit 1-2 posters per year, starting Fall Quarter, 2022; author or co-author scientific papers.

• Cognitive-behavioral approaches to the prevention and treatment of depression
• The evidence base for digital health interventions
• The preparation of digital tools intended for underserved populations, such as Spanish speakers 

 Please submit the following to rmunoz@paloaltou.edu by Friday, April 22, 2022 (earlier is better).

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Transcript (unofficial is fine)
3. Research interest statement (no more than two pages) discussing a) your commitments and aspirations regarding what you will contribute to the world as a psychologist, and b) which of the required and preferred skill sets listed above you would be able to contribute to our team, with supporting evidence.  
4. A writing sample in English– for example, a paper submitted to a psychology class (undergraduate or graduate). Your Research Methods proposal paper from Fall quarter would be fine.
5. If you are bilingual in Spanish, an additional writing sample in Spanish.
6. If you have built websites or apps, a link to your site, how to download your app, or screen shots of the site or app.

Selected students will be invited to Zoom interviews during April and May. 

Notification:  Students accepted into the i4Health Lab will be notified by Dr. Muñoz on Friday, May 20, 2022 at 4:00pm.

On Digital Interventions: 

-Muñoz, R. F. (2010) Using Evidence-Based Internet Interventions to Reduce Health Disparities Worldwide.  Journal of Medical Internet Research, 12(5):e60. PMID: 21169162. 

- Muñoz, R. F., Bunge, E. L., Chen, K., Schueller, S. M., Bravin, J. I., Shaughnessy, E. A., & Pérez-Stable, E. J. (2015). Massive Open Online Interventions: A novel model for delivering behavioral-health services worldwide. Clinical Psychological Science. http://doi.org/10.1177/2167702615583840

- Muñoz RF, Chavira DA, Himle JA, Koerner K, Muroff J, Reynolds J, Rose ED, Ruzek JI, Teachman BA, Schueller SM. (2018). Digital apothecaries: a vision for making health care interventions accessible worldwide. mHealth 2018;4:18. doi: 10.21037/mhealth.2018.05.04

On Treatment and Prevention of Depression:

-Muñoz, R. F., & Mendelson, T. (2005). Toward evidence-based interventions for diverse populations: The San Francisco General Hospital prevention and treatment manuals.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 790-799.

-Muñoz, R. F., Cuijpers, P., Smit, F., Barrera, A.Z., & Leykin, Y.  (2010). Prevention of Major Depression.  Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 6, 181-212.

-Dimidjian, S., Barrera, M., Martell, C., Muñoz, R. F., & Lewinsohn, P. M. (2011). The Origins and Current Status of Behavioral Activation Treatments for Depression. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 7(1), 1-38. doi: doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032210-104535

-Muñoz, R. F., Beardslee, W. R., & Leykin, Y. (2012).  Major depression can be prevented.  American Psychologist, 67, 285-295.  doi:10.1037/a0027666

Muñoz’s work is based on: 

1. Albert Bandura’s Social Learning/Social Cognitive Theory, and his work on self-efficacy. See: https://stanfordmag.org/contents/psychology-lessons-that-transcend-generations
2. His goal to “give psychology away” to the world: https://stanfordmag.org/contents/mental-health-mission
3. His concept of “The Healthy Management of Reality” http://i4health.paloaltou.edu/manuals/healthy-reality.html