Understanding Early Adversity in Nonhuman Primates: Impact on Mental Health and Strategies to Improve Well-Being

Our research group is seeking a motivated Master’s student to join a project investigating how early adverse experiences influence the development of mental and behavioral disorders in nonhuman primates. By integrating animal welfare and evolutionary psychiatry, the study seeks to uncover the evolutionary, ecological, and developmental foundations of psychopathology. Our main hypothesis is that human dimensional models of adversity— deprivation, threat, and unpredictability—can predict the emergence of psychopathologies in primates. In addition, it is suggested that developmental links between emotion, behavior, and psychopathology are fundamentally similar between humans and primates. To test these hypotheses, the study will classify early life experiences in primates and analyze their impact on socio-emotional skills and personality traits. Data will be gathered through behavioral observations and questionnaires. One of the key outcomes of the project will be the creation of an innovative adversity measurement scale with high internal reliability and practical application. It is expected that this tool will provide a better understanding of the conditions that promote the maintenance of good mental health in primates, informing the development of new interventions to improve their well-being in captivity. The selected student will work within a multidisciplinary team composed of experts in primatology, developmental psychology, and psychometrics, benefiting from cross- disciplinary mentoring and training in advanced observational techniques, behavioral coding, and the data analysis. We particularly welcome students with backgrounds or strong interests in psychology, cognitive science, psychopathology or primatology. Prior experience in qualitative or quantitative research methods will be considered an asset. The internship can be arranged in various formats, ranging from fully on-site to fully remote, depending on the project and the circumstances of the selected candidate. Funding opportunities may also be available through the ERASMUS+ program. If you are interested in joining this innovative research initiative, please contact us at comparativeminds@udg.edu with your CV and your academic transcripts. More about our research group: Comparative Minds is an interdisciplinary research group within the Department of Psychology at the University of Girona (Girona, Spain) that brings together various fields, including Comparative Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Linguistics. Its research aims to address some of the fundamental questions concerning behavior, cognition, and communication, both in non- human animals and in humans. If you choose to join us, you will become part of a dynamic and supportive research community where your growth truly matters. You will benefit from close, personalized supervision that will guide you not only through your research and dissertation, but also equip you with valuable skills and training to boost your professional development and open doors for your future career.