Ricardo Muñoz, PhD

PhD, University of Oregon
Professor of Psychology, UCSF
Chief Psychologist, San Francisco General Hospital
Director, Clinical Psychology Training Program
Director, Latino Mental Health Research Program

Phone: (415) 206-5214
Fax: (415) 206-8942
E-mail: ricardo.munoz@ucsf.edu

Web-based Smoking Cessation Study in English & en Español
Monitor on Psychology Interview
Latino Mental Health Research Program
UCSF/SFGH Internet World Health Research Center
Department of Psychiatry

Research Interests:

My research program is focused on the development and evaluation of Internet interventions to prevent and treat major depression and to help individuals address depression-related health problems, such as smoking. I use a social learning orientation and cognitive-behavioral self-control approaches, and include Spanish- and English-speaking populations in my work.

One of my current projects includes the “Spanish/English Web Site for Smoking Cessation Trials,” a bilingual site using randomized control trial methodology conducted entirely via the World Wide Web which will initially test smoking cessation approaches with or without a mood management component. Another project, the “Mamás y Bebés / Mothers and Babies: Mood and Health Project,” is a bilingual study designed to identify pregnant women at risk for major depressive episodes. The focus of this study is also to study the effects of a depression prevention intervention on depressive symptoms, the incidence of major depressive episodes in the mother-to-be, and the postpartum health of the mother, the baby, and their relationship. We are in the process of adapting this intervention to the Web.

The Latino Mental Health Research Program has a new initiative, the UCSF/SFGH Internet World Health Research Center. Our vision is to use the Web to reduce health disparities worldwide by developing and testing evidence-based Internet interventions. We plan to systematically develop interventions to fill in a grid composed of columns representing specific health problems (smoking, depression, pain, alcohol problems, etc.) and rows representing languages (English, Spanish, Chinese, etc.). For a narrated PowerPoint presentation describing our plans, see Using the Internet to Reduce Health Disparities Worldwide.

Selected Publications:

Muñoz RF, Le HN, Ghosh Ippen C, Diaz MA, Urizar GG, Soto J, Mendelson T, Delucchi K, Lieberman AF. (2007). Prevention of postpartum depression in low-income women: Development of the Mamás y Bebés/Mothers and Babies Course. Cognitive & Behavioral Practice, 14, 70-83.

Muñoz RF, Lenert LL, Delucchi K, Stoddard J, Pérez JE, Penilla C, Pérez-Stable EJ. (2006).Toward evidence-based Internet interventions: A Spanish/English Web site for international smoking cessation trials. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 8, 77-87.

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

Muñoz RF, Ying YW. (1993). The prevention of depression: Research and practice. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

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