Aritz Aranbarri Paredes

Graduated and PhD in Psychology from the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca and the Universidad del País Vasco respectively, I did my specialist clinical training in Neuropsychology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, with a background in the paediatric age group and autism. Through different competitive scholarships, I have had two residences at the University of California - Davis, the second being two years at the MIND Institute (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders), with specific postdoctoral training in the investigation of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and am certified as an official ESDM therapist (Denver Model), and administrator of the ADOS-2 with research reliability.

Accredited at state level as an expert in clinical neuropsychology, I carry out my care duties as a specialist in ASD in early ages, both in its diagnosis and in its early intervention, within the Multidisciplinary Unit of Autism Spectrum Disorder (UnimTEA) of the Area of Mental Health of the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital. Currently, I lead various lines of the unit as principal investigator, including the iCASE project, shared with the ADHD Unit, and the Institut TEA CARE-Mas Casadevall project.The latter aims to train and promote good clinical practices for the detection, diagnosis and early intervention of ASD in public primary and community services, in addition to testing a clinical trial of family-mediated early post-diagnostic care.

My vocation for autism was born with my little brother, who has autism and intellectual disability. Aitor has been and is my source of greatest learning and inspiration to research and improve the clinical care of children with autism and their families.

Training

• Clinical Multidisciplinary Postgraduate in Neurodevelopmental Pathology Care (LEND programme). University of California - Davis, Sacramento (United States), 2018.
• Doctor in Psychology (area of Environmental Neuroepidemiology and Early Development), with an extraordinary thesis award. Universidad del País Vasco, 2014.
• Official Master's in Biomedical Research, Universidad del País Vasco, 2009.
• Master's in Neuropsychology and Behavioural Neurology. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2008.
• Degree in Psychology, Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, 2006.

International experience

• 2-year postdoctoral residence in the NIH ARTP programme: "Autism Research Training Programme". MIND Institute, University of California - Davis (United States), 2018.
• 4-month predoctoral residence at the "Children's health and the environment" centre, at the School of Public Health of the University of California - Davis (United States), 2013.
• 1 month predoctoral residence in the European Epidemiology Programme, Florence (Italy), 2013.

Scientific activity

• Principal investigator of the TEA CARE-Mas Casadevall project. Project promoted by families and "la Caixa" social work, to promote excellent clinical care, research and community training associated with early care for autism.
• Principal investigator at HSDJ of the multicentre project led by Pearson Clinical: "Spanish Typification of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-4". International reference test for the assessment of early neurodevelopment.
• Co-principal investigator of the iCASE project (investigation of Circadian-rhythms: Clinical Characterisation in Children with ADHD and ASD on Sleeping and Eating alterations) funded by the Health Research Fund (FIS 2019) of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI19 / 00113).
• Principal investigator of the Longitudinal Study PREDICT: PREmaturitat, DEsenvolupament primerenc, Comunicació (social/llenguatje) i els seus marcadors de Risc.
• Researcher of the BiSC - Barcelona Life Study Cohort project: neurodevelopment and environmental health line.
• Researcher of the INMA - INfancia y Medio Ambiente [Infancy and Environment] project: neurodevelopment and environmental health line.

Teaching

• Professor of the international master's degree "Nerumetabolism and Cell Biology for Clinicians", Universitat de Barcelona, since 2024.
• Professor of the postgraduate course in Autism at the Chair of Autism at the Universitat de Girona, since 2022.
• International trainer of the BAYLEY-III SCALES of early neurodevelopmental assessment. Collaborator endorsed by Pearson Clinical's official qualification since 2021.
• Co-director and teacher of the course on Early Care in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Detection and intervention in early childhood, SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital Training, since 2020.
• Professor in the master's degree in Early Care, Universidad del País Vasco, since 2020.
• Professor in the postgraduate course in Neuropsychology and Neurology of Child Behaviour, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2019.
• Professor in the master's degree in Early Care and Family, Universitat Ramon Lull (Blanquerna), since 2019.
• Professor of the postgraduate course in Autism, Universitat de Barcelona, since 2018.
• Professor of the university master's degree in Neuropsychology, Universidad de Deusto, since 2018.