Duarte-Velez, Yovanska

Yovanska M Duarte-Velez

Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Overview

Yovanska Duarté-Vélez received her PhD from the University of Puerto Rico and is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University and Bradley Hospital. Dr. Duarté-Vélez is also a licensed clinical psychologist with extensive experience with children and families from diverse backgrounds. Her ongoing work and research interests are to develop and tailor treatments for minoritized populations (e.g. ethnic, sexual, multiple minoritized identities) according to their needs and cultural values, and to incorporate a health disparity perspective into research. Her academic training and research experience has provided her with an excellent background in high risk Latinx youth and adults in Puerto Rico and the U.S. This has been enhanced by further experience in CBT, cultural adaptations, diverse ethnocultural perspectives, and adolescents at suicide risk. Dr. Duarté-Vélez has ample experience as a CBT therapist, CBT trainer, and specializing in suicide risk assessment and intervention providing capacity building to mental health professionals and the general population.

Brown Affiliations

Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Research Areas

evidence-based treatment | Latinx youth | Rhode Island and Puerto Rico | suicidal behavior

Publications Visualize it

Duarté-Vélez, Y., Vélez-Grau, C., and Álvarez, K. "Psychosocial treatments for ethnoculturally diverse youth with suicidal thoughts and behaviors." Handbook of Youth Suicide Prevention: Integrating Research into Practice, edited by R. Miranda and E. Jeglic., Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 2021.

Bernal, Guillermo, Rivera‐Medina, Carmen L., Cumba‐Avilés, Eduardo, Reyes‐Rodríguez, Mae Lynn, Sáez‐Santiago, Emily, Duarté‐Vélez, Yovanska, Nazario, Lelis, Rodríguez‐Quintana, Natalie, Rosselló, Jeannette. "Can Cognitive‐Behavioral Therapy Be Optimized With Parent Psychoeducation? A Randomized Effectiveness Trial of Adolescents With Major Depression in Puerto Rico." Family Process, vol. 58, no. 4, 2019, pp. 832-854.

Full Text PubMed

Estrada, Griselle Batista, Zoucha, Rick, Duarté-Vélez, Yovanska. "Cultural Factors Influencing Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors in Puerto Ricans: An Integrative Review." Annual Review of Nursing Research, vol. 37, no. 1, 2019, pp. 261-299.

Full Text PubMed

Moitra, Ethan, Duarte-Velez, Yovanska, Lewis-Fernández, Roberto, Weisberg, Risa B., Keller, Martin B. "Examination of ataque de nervios and ataque de nervios like events in a diverse sample of adults with anxiety disorders." Depression and Anxiety, vol. 35, no. 12, 2018, pp. 1190-1197.

Full Text PubMed

Duarté-Vélez, Yovanska, Gomez, Judelysse, Jiménez Colón, Gisela, Spirito, Anthony. "Socio-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicidal Behavior With a Puerto Rican Male Adolescent." Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, vol. 3, no. 2, 2018, pp. 81-97.

Full Text PubMed

Duarté-Vélez Y, Jones RN, Spirito A. "Understanding Suicidal Ideation in Latino/a Adolescents Living in Puerto Rico." Archives of Suicide Research, vol. 22, no. 4, 2017, pp. 569-583.

Full Text PubMed

Duarté-Vélez Y, Torres-Dávila P, Spirito A, Polanco N, Bernal G. "Development of a treatment protocol for Puerto Rican adolescents with suicidal behaviors." Psychotherapy, vol. 53, no. 1, 2016, pp. 45-56.

Full Text PubMed

Duarté-Vélez, Yovanska, Bernal, Guillermo, Bonilla, Karen. "Culturally adapted cognitive-behavior therapy: integrating sexual, spiritual, and family identities in an evidence-based treatment of a depressed Latino adolescent." Journal of Clinical Psychology, vol. 66, no. 8, 2010, pp. 895-906.

Full Text PubMed

Duarté-Vélez, Yovanska M., Bernal, Guillermo. "Suicide Behavior among Latino and Latina Adolescents: Conceptual and Methodological Issues." Death Studies, vol. 31, no. 5, 2007, pp. 435-455.

Full Text PubMed

Research

Research Overview

Dr. Duarté-Vélez' work has focused on the assessment and treatment of Latinx youth with suicidal behaviors in the context of their family and society. She started her career as a clinical researcher in Puerto Rico, where she developed a CBT protocol that addresses culture and adolescence developmental stage as central components in treatment, the Socio-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicidal Behaviors (SCBT-SB) supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). She transported this protocol from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island to expand its applicability to Latinx youth living in the USA through an NIMH training grant. Dr. Duarté-Vélez completed a pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) of the SCBT-SB versus Treatment as Usual (TAU) in a “real world” setting. Currently, she is conducting a randomized clinical trial to test the efficacy and effectiveness of the SCBT-SB funded by the National Institute on Minority and Heath Disparities.

Research Statement

My ongoing work and research interests are to develop and tailor treatments for minoritized populations (e.g. ethnic, sexual, multiple minoritized identities) according to their needs and cultural values, and to incorporate a health disparity perspective into research. My academic training and research experience has provided me with an excellent background in high risk Latinx youth and adults in Puerto Rico and the U.S. This has been enhanced by further experience in CBT, cultural adaptations, diverse ethnocultural perspectives, and adolescents at suicide risk. I have ample experience as a CBT therapist, CBT trainer, and specializing in suicide risk assessment and intervention providing capacity building to mental health professionals and the general population.

Funded Research

National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (1R01MD013907), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of General Medical Science; Previously supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Background

Education and Training

Year	Degree	Institution
2007	PhD	University of Puerto Rico
1996	BA	University of Puerto Rico

Affiliations Visualize it

Collaborators

Name	Title
Jones, Rich	Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Professor of Neurology
Spirito, Anthony	Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Affiliations

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University and Bradley Hospital

Researchers@Brown

Researchers@Brown

Yovanska M Duarte-Velez

Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Overview

Brown Affiliations

Research Areas

Publications Visualize it

Research

Research Overview

Research Statement

Funded Research

Background

Education and Training

Affiliations Visualize it

Collaborators

Affiliations

Teaching