BARCENA GAONA SUSANA XOCHITL

Information:

She studied psychology at the Faculta de Estudios Superiores Iztacala (2004-2007) and completed her Doctorate in Health Psychology at UNAM, earning her degree in 2013. In 2015, she became a certified sexual educator at the Mexican Association for Sexual Health, A.C. Dr. Bárcena has been teaching in the field of psychology since 2013 and currently holds a permanent full-time position as a Full Professor ‘A’. She conducts her teaching activities in the field of Special Education in the undergraduate program and in the Master’s in Special Education at the Faculta de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, UNAM.

Dr. Bárcena currently serves as the head of the Research Group on Psychology and Sexual Health (GIPPS) at the Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala. She possesses extensive research experience, having actively participated in national and international conferences, authored book chapters, and published articles in indexed journals, all with a thematic focus on sexual health. Over the past ten years, her research has primarily revolved around the sexuality of individuals with disabilities. She has received funding from the UNAM’s Program for Support of Research and Technological Innovation Projects (PAPIIT) to undertake the following projects: 1. Sexual health in individuals with disabilities: the role of their parents (2016-2017), 2. Intervention program to promote communication on sexuality among parents of deaf youths (2019-2020), and 3. Families in the sexual education of individuals with disabilities (2021-2023).

Dr. Bárcena has served on thesis committees, supervised both undergraduate and master’s theses, and received a scholarship for her graduate studies from the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT) in the Doctorate Program in Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology, UNAM (2009-2013). In 2015, she was granted the ‘Proyecta 100,000’ scholarship by the State of Mexico Government to study the English language at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, USA. In 2023, she was awarded the distinction of National Researcher Level I by the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT).

Dr. Bárcena also contributes as a columnist to the only news portal in Mexico accessible to people with disabilities, known as ‘Yo También.’ In this platform, she writes on topics of relevance concerning sexuality for individuals with disabilities and their families.

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