Lecturer and researcher. Editor-in-Chief of Medicina Clínica y Social.
I work on the measurement of psychological and psychopathological phenomena, and on how statistical method does or does not support the conclusions that health research publishes. I lead the Psychometrics and Psychopathology research line at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the National University of Asunción, where I also chair the Biostatistics and Medical Informatics courses.
Fundamentos, métodos y aplicaciones para la investigación y la práctica clínica
Barrios I, Torales J
A university handbook covering biostatistics end to end, from descriptive measures to multivariate and survival analysis, with the criteria for choosing the right test in each case. It includes statistical tables, a formula summary, a glossary, worked exercises and multiple-choice questions.
Publisher: EFACIM, Editorial de la Facultad de Ciencias MédicasEdition: 1.ª ediciónPages: 248ISBN: 978-99953-67-58-9Download the book
A research methodology handbook for health sciences students and professionals, covering the full path from formulating the research question to writing and publishing the article.
Publisher: EFACIM, Editorial de la Facultad de Ciencias MédicasEdition: 1.ª ediciónPages: 333ISBN: 978-99953-67-50-3Download the book
Background
Background
I hold a BSc in Mathematical Statistics from the National University of Asunción and a PhD in Public Health Administration and Management. My doctoral thesis built a measurement instrument for public health management indicators, which sums up my work fairly well: bringing psychometric rigour to problems that used to be measured by intuition.
Since 2019 I have coordinated the Psychometrics and Psychopathology research line at the Medical Psychology Department of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción. The work consists of validating and adapting scales into Spanish so that the epidemiology of mental disorders in Paraguay can be studied with instruments that actually measure what they claim to measure.
Since 2020 I have been Editor-in-Chief of Medicina Clínica y Social, the first Paraguayan scientific journal indexed in Scopus. I also review for international psychiatry and public health journals, and I am a Level 2 categorised researcher in Paraguay's National System of Researchers.
Research line
Psychometrics and psychopathology
Peer reviewer for
International Review of PsychiatryQ1
Frontiers in PsychologyQ1
Frontiers in Public HealthQ1
International Journal of Social PsychiatryQ1
Current PsychologyQ2
Journal of Community PsychologyQ2
Frontiers in SociologyQ2
Psychological ReportsQ3
Journal of General PsychologyQ3
Journal of Nervous and Mental DiseaseQ3
Languages
Spanishnative
Guaranívery good
Englishprofessional
Positions
2020-Present
Editor-in-Chief
Medicina Clínica y Social
The first Paraguayan scientific journal indexed in Scopus.
2019-Present
Head of the Psychometrics and Psychopathology research line
Medical Psychology Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción
2021-Present
Chair of Biostatistics
Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción
2022-Present
Chair of Medical Informatics
Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción
2023-Present
Chair of Biostatistics and Epidemiology
Physiotherapy programme, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción
2023-Present
Research lecturer
Universidad Sudamericana
2022-Present
Categorised researcher, Level 2
National System of Researchers (SISNI), CONACYT Paraguay
Res. 126/2026. Entered the system in 2022 at Entry Level.
Education
2024
PhD, Public Health Administration and Management
Universidad Columbia del Paraguay
Thesis: A measurement instrument for management indicators in Paraguayan public health: an application of psychometrics
2026
MSc, Scientific Research Methodology
Universidad Iberoamericana
Thesis: Factors associated with suicide attempts in patients with borderline personality disorder, Hospital de Clínicas
2023
MSc, Education, with emphasis on University Teaching
Universidad Americana
Thesis: Self-regulated learning and academic performance in medical students across three universities
2022
Postgraduate specialisation, Scientific Research Methodology
Universidad Iberoamericana
2021
BSc, Sciences, Mathematical Statistics
Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Asunción
