Hector M. Betancourt, PhD, MA | School of Behavioral Health | Loma Linda University
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Dr. Hector Betancourt

Distinguished Professor, Psychology

Contact Information

Email hbetancourt@llu.edu
Phone 909-558-8708
Fax 909-558-0171

Department of Psychology
Loma Linda University, Central Building, Office 113
11130 Anderson St., Loma Linda, CA  92350

Degrees

  • PhD, Psychology - University of California, Los Angeles, 1983
  • MA, Psychology - University of California, Los Angeles, 1983
  • Psicologo, Licenciado en Psicologia (terminal professional degree in Clinical Psychology) - Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, 1986

Areas of Specialization

  • Social, cultural, and health psychology
  • Cognition (attribution)-emotion processes in interpersonal and inter-group behavior
  • Role of culture in psychological processes and behavior
  • Culture, diversity, and behavior in health and social issues
  • Cultural and psychological factors in social inequities and health disparities

Professional Memberships

  • American Psychological Association (Fellow)
  • Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division of APA
  • Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI)
  • International Society for Cross-Cultural Psychology
  • Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race (Fellow)
  • Society for General Psychology (Fellow)
  • International Psychology (Fellow)
  • Society for Personality and Social Psychology
  • Association for Psychological Science

Recent Publications and Presentations

Publications

  • Baeza-Rivera, M.J., Betancourt, H., Salinas-Onate, N., & Ortiz, M.S. (2019). Cultural beliefs about physicians and perception of discrimination: The impact on continuity of care. Revista Medica de Chile, 147, 161-167.
  • Baeza, M.J., Betancourt, H., Salinas, N, Ortiz, M., Marin, O., & Valle, G. (2018). Development of an instrument to assess cultural beliefs about physicians. Revista Medica de Chile, 146.
  • Hilton, B., Betancourt, H., Morrell, H., Lee, H., & Doegey, J. (2018). Substance abuse among American Indians and Alaska Natives: An integrative cultural framework for advancing research. International Journal of Mental Health and Addictions, DOI 10.1007/s11469-017-9869-1.
  • Otzen, T., Betancourt, H., González, M.E., & Martella, D. (2016). Fatalism, attributions of failure, and academic performance in Mapuche and Non-Mapuche Chilean Students. Anales de Psicologia (Spain), 32, 341-348.
  • Ortiz, M., Baeza-Rivera, M., Salinas-Onate, N., Flynn, P., & Betancourt, H. (2016). Health Care mistreatment attributed to discrimination and discontinuation of diabetes care among Mapuche patients. Revista Medica de Chile, 144, 1281-1287.
  • Flynn, P.M., Betancourt, H., Garberoglio, C., Regts, G., Kinworthy, K., & Northington, D. (2015). Attributions and emotions regarding health care mistreatment impact continuity of care among Latino and Anglo American women. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 21, 4, 593-603 (dx.doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000019).
  • Herbozo, S. M., Flynn, P. M., Stevens, S. D., & Betancourt, H. (2015). Dietary adherence, glycemic control and psychological factors associated with binge eating among indigenous and nonindigenous Chileans with type 2 diabetes. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 22, 792-798. (doi: 10.1007/s12529-015-9478-y).
  • Amador, J., Flynn, P, and Betancourt, H. (2015). Cultural beliefs and perceived professional empathy influence continuity of care following a negative health care encounter. Journal of Behavioral Medicine,38,5 798-808. (doi: 10.1007/s10865-015-9646-1).
  • Betancourt, H. (2015). Psychological research on culture and diversity: A view from the perspective of the integrative model. Psykhe (Chile), 24, 1-4.

Presentations

  • Ly, A., Nance, C., Flynn, P.M. & Betancourt, H. (June, 2020). Familism alleviates diabetes distress and improves treatment adherence among Latino and Anglo Americans with Type 2 Diabetes. Poster presented at the Association for Psychological Science Virtual Poster Showcase.
  • Betancourt, H. (April, 2019). Discrimination, Stigma, and Sociocultural Appearance Pressures: Evidence from an Integrative Model of Culture, Psychology, and Health (Discussant). Symposium conducted at the meeting of the WPA, Pasadena, CA.
  • Nance, C., Truong, S. & Betancourt, H. (April, 2019). Illness Stigma, Treatment Distress, and Medical Avoidance. In P. Flynn (Chair), Discrimination, Stigma, and Sociocultural Appearance Pressures: Evidence from an Integrative Model of Culture, Psychology, and Health. Symposium conducted at the meeting of the WPA, Pasadena, CA.
  • Nance, C., Bolivar, G., Lim, D., Herman, S., Codorniz, K., Flynn, P.M., & Betancourt, H. (May, 2018). Cultural Beliefs about the unfair treatment of people with diabetes and distress impact HbA1c. Poster presented at the 30th Annual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, San Francisco, CA.
  • Ung, S., MacKenzie, K., Votow, C., Lee, J., Codorniz, K., Betancourt, H. & Flynn, P.M. (May, 2018). Cultural beliefs impact HbA1c in patients with diabetes through cognition-emotion processes. Poster presented at the 30th Annual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, San Francisco, CA.
  • Nance, C., Truong, S., Chia, D., Betancourt, H., Codorniz, K., & Flynn, P.M. (April, 2018). Cultural beliefs and self-efficacy in adherence to treatment among patients with diabetes. Poster presented at the Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR.
  • Nance, C., Jones, A., Raghani, P., Hoyt, C., Flynn, P.M., Codorniz, K. & Betancourt, H. (April, 2018). Ethnic and socioeconomic differences in cultural beliefs about diabetes. Poster presented at the Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR.
  • Betancourt, H. (September, 2016). Values, psychological processes, and voting behavior: An integrative framework for the study of social and political phenomena. Keynote Address, XVI Convention of the Mexican Association of Social Psychology, VI Latin American Conference on Cross-Cultural Psychology, VIII International Conference on Personal Relationships. Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico.  
  • Nuñez, E., Serna, N., Flynn, P.M., & Betancourt, H. (August, 2016). General fatalism and diabetes fatalism predict hemoglobin HbA1c in Mapuche and Mainstream Chileans with Type-2 diabetes. Convention of the American Psychological Association, Denver, Colorado, USA.
  • Serna, N., Nuñez, E., Ung, S., Flynn, P.M., & Betancourt, H. (August, 2016). Consequences of Attributions for Health Care Mistreatment among Culturally Diverse Patients. Convention of the American Psychological Association, Denver, Colorado, USA. 
  • Herman, S., Nguyen, A., Nuñez, E., Flynn, P.M., Gonzalez, M.E., & Betancourt, H. (May, 2016). Fatalism and self-efficacy in academic performance and expectations among Indigenous and Mainstream Chilean students. 28th Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, IL, USA.
  • Lee, H., Hilton, B., Betancourt, H., Morrel, H., & Flynn, P. (March, 2016). Substance Abuse among American Indians and Alaska Natives: An Integrative Conceptual Framework for Advancing Research. Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction. San Diego, California.   
  • Betancourt, H. (March, 2016). Cultura y Procesos Psico-Sociales en Salud y Educacion. Sociedad Cientifica de Psicologia, Pucon, Chile. 
  • Betancourt, H. (November, 2015). Cultura y procesos psicologicos en conducta social y salud: Un Modelo integrador y avances en investigacion. Conferencia magistral, Universidad de Guanajuato, Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico.
  • Emerson, N. D., Nunez, E.; Flynn, P. M. & Betancourt, H. (May, 2015). Health Professional Cultural Competence and Shame Influence the Effect of Mistreatment on Continuity of Care in Latino but not Anglo American Women. Paper presented at the 27th Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, New York, USA.
  • Nunez, E., Emerson, N.D., Flynn, P. M., & Betancourt, H. (May, 2015). Fatalism predicts less cancer screening intention in Anglo and Latino women. Paper presented at the 27th Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, New York, USA.
  • Betancourt, H. (March, 2015). Cultura, procesos psicologicos, conducta y desigualdades sociales: El caso de las inequidades en salud. Colloquium presentation. Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.

Community Engagement

  • American Psychological Association, Board of Scientific Affairs (2016-2018)
  • Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI): Otto Kleinberg Award Committee (2013-2015) and International Committee (2016-present)
  • Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division of APA, Fellows Committee (2015-present)
  • Center for Research and Training in Minority Health and Health Disparities, Member of Advisory Board (2010-2012)