Rubén Rodríguez-Cano

About

I am an Associate Professor (Førsteameneusis) at the Department of Psychology at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway. I hold a PhD in Clinical Psychology, and my motivation is to improve people's health and wellbeing through research in health and clinical psychology and by training new health professionals.

As the leader of the Salud-E lab, my research focuses on addictive behaviors and the development of behavioral and psychological interventions to reduce health risk behaviors and their impacts on mental and physical health. I have extensive experience in addressing a range of addictive behaviors, including alcohol, smoking, marijuana, and cocaine use, among both the general population and individuals with non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and chronic respiratory conditions, and mental disorders.

Utilizing advanced longitudinal research methods, I explore the dynamic processes of health and the transitions between wellness and illness across the lifespan. This approach allows me to try to understand the complexity of health behaviors and identify opportunities for intervention at critical points in people's lives.

Teaching and Mentorship

Higher education offers the perfect environment to teach, mentor, and collaborate with motivated individuals who are passionate about improving health science. I am dedicated to working with students at all levels, from undergraduate to Ph.D. candidates, and providing postgraduate training for clinicians. I strive to create a supportive learning environment where students can thrive, contribute to research, and grow into health professionals ready to make a real difference in our society.

Collaboration

I am always eager to collaborate with researchers, clinicians, municipalities, and organizations to advance health science and improve people’s lives. Whether you're interested in research partnerships, mentoring, creating innovative solutions to provide health, or simply discussing ways to contribute to health science, feel free to get in touch.

My Role in the Spanish Association of Researchers in Norway

In addition to my research and teaching, I serve as the delegate for the Spanish Association of Researchers in Norway (IENO/SFNO) in Trondheim. My goal is to build a community where Spanish-speaking researchers in Norway can connect, collaborate, and share knowledge. We organize events that promote research dissemination, networking, and fun, creating opportunities to engage with others across different disciplines. Researchers from other Spanish-speaking countries or who understand Spanish are also welcome to join and contribute to our growing network. JOINT here!

Publications

2024

Rodriguez-Cano, Ruben; Lotre, Karianne; von Soest, Tilmann; Rognli, Eline B.; Bramness, Jørgen Gustav. (2024) Loneliness in adolescence and prescription of psychotropic drugs in adulthood: 23-year longitudinal population-based and registry study. BJPsych Open
Academic article
Rodriguez-Cano, Ruben; Kypriotakis, George; Robinson, Jason D; Karam-Hage, Maher; Blalock, Janice A; Minnix, Jeniffer A. (2024) Comparing the Fagerström Test and Heaviness of Smoking Index in Predicting Smoking Abstinence in Cancer Patients. Nicotine & Tobacco Research
Academic article

2019

Martinez-Vispo, Carmela; Lopez-Duran, Ana; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Fernandez del Rio, Elena; Senra, Carmen; Becoña, Elisardo. (2019) Effect of depressive symptoms and sex on the relationship between loneliness and cigarette dependence: A moderated mediation. Journal of Psychology
Academic article
Martinez-Vispo, Carmela; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Lopez-Duran, Ana; Senra, Carmen; Fernandez del Rio, Elena; Becoña, Elisardo. (2019) Cognitive-behavioral treatment with behavioral activation for smoking cessation: Randomized controlled trial. PLOS ONE
Academic article
Paulus, Daniel J.; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Garza, Monica; Ochoa-Perez, Maria; Lemaire, Charles; Bakhshaie, Jafar. (2019) Acculturation stress and alcohol use among Latino recruited from a primary care clinic: Moderations by emotion dysregulation. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
Academic article

Journal publications

Rodriguez-Cano, Ruben; Lotre, Karianne; von Soest, Tilmann; Rognli, Eline B.; Bramness, Jørgen Gustav. (2024) Loneliness in adolescence and prescription of psychotropic drugs in adulthood: 23-year longitudinal population-based and registry study. BJPsych Open
Academic article
Rodriguez-Cano, Ruben; Kypriotakis, George; Robinson, Jason D; Karam-Hage, Maher; Blalock, Janice A; Minnix, Jeniffer A. (2024) Comparing the Fagerström Test and Heaviness of Smoking Index in Predicting Smoking Abstinence in Cancer Patients. Nicotine & Tobacco Research
Academic article
Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Kypriotakis, George; Cortes Garcia, Laura; Bakken, Anders; von Soest, Tilmann Martin. (2023) Polysubstance use and its correlation with psychosocial and health risk behaviours among more than 95,000 Norwegian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic (January to May 2021): a latent profile analysis. The Lancet Regional Health - Europe
Academic article
Rodriguez-Cano, Ruben; Cortes Garcia, Laura; von Soest, Tilmann Martin. (2023) The prospective reciprocal associations between smoking and depressive symptoms over three decades: A Random Intercept Cross-lagged Panel Model. Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
Academic article
Cortes Garcia, Laura; Wichstrøm, Lars; Cano, Ruben Agustin Rodriguez; von Soest, Tilmann Martin. (2023) Within-Person Prospective Associations Between Disordered Eating, Appearance Dissatisfaction, and Depressive Symptoms From Adolescence to Midlife: A 28-Year Longitudinal Population-Based Study. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science
Academic article
Karimi, Roya; Mallah, Narmeen; Scherer, Ronny; Rodríguez-Cano, Rubén; Takkouche, Bahi. (2023) Sleep quality as a mediator of the relation between depression and chronic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Anaesthesia
Academic literature review
Mallah, N.; Rodriguez-Cano, Ruben; Badro, Danielle A.; Figueras, A.; Gonzalez-Barcala, Francisco-Javier; Takkouche, Bahi. (2022) Development and Validation of a Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire on Antibiotic Use in Arabic and French Languages in Lebanon. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH)
Academic article
Rodriguez-Cano, Ruben; Cortes Garcia, Laura; Ulset, Vidar Sandsaunet; von Soest, Tilmann. (2022) Worries About COVID-19 and Adolescents' Mental Health and Life Satisfaction: The Role of Sociodemographics and Social Support. Frontiers in pediatrics
Academic article
Ivanova, Anna; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Kvalem, Ingela Lundin; Harcourt, Diana; Kiserud, Cecilie E.; Amdal, Bente Cecilie Delphin. (2022) Body image concerns in long-term head and neck cancer survivors: prevalence and role of clinical factors and patient-reported late effects. Journal of cancer survivorship
Academic article
Cortes Garcia, Laura; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; von Soest, Tilmann. (2022) Prospective associations between loneliness and disordered eating from early adolescence to adulthood. International Journal of Eating Disorders
Academic article
von Soest, Tilmann; Kozák, Michal; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Fluit, Sam; Cortes Garcia, Laura; Ulset, Vidar Sandsaunet. (2021) Adolescents’ psychosocial well-being one year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. Nature Human Behaviour
Academic article
Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Lopez-Duran, Ana; Martinez-Vispo, Carmela; Becoña, Elisardo. (2021) Causes of smoking relapse in the 12 months after smoking cessation treatment: affective and cigarette dependence–related factors. Addictive Behaviours
Academic article
Mallah, Narmeen; Rodriguez-Cano, Ruben; Badro, Danielle A.; Figueiras, Adolfo; Caamaño-Isorna, Francisco; Takkouche, Bahi. (2021) Validation of the arabic and French versions of a knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) questionnaire on tranquilizer misuse. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH)
Academic article
Mallah, Narmeen; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Figueras, Adolfo; Takkouche, Bahi. (2021) Development and validation of a knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire of personal use of tranquilizers. Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Academic article
Martinez-Vispo, Carmela; Lopez-Duran, Ana; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Senra, Carmen; Becoña, Elisardo. (2021) Treatment completion and anxiety sensitivity effects on smoking cessation outcomes. Addictive Behaviours
Academic article
Rodriguez-Cano, Ruben; Paulus, Daniel J.; Derrick, Jaye; Blalock, Janice A.; Zvolensky, Michael J.. (2021) Emotion dysregulation and hazardous drinking in relation to suicidal ideation among Spanish-speaking Latinx daily-smokers. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Academic article
Mallah, Narmeen; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Figueras, Adolfo; Takkouche, Bahi. (2020) Design, Reliability and Construct Validity of a questionnaire on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of the general population in relation to the personal use of antibiotics in Spain. Scientific Reports
Academic article
Martinez-Vispo, Carmela; Lopez-Duran, Ana; Senra, Carmen; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Fernandez del Rio, Elena; Becoña, Elisardo. (2020) Behavioral activation and smoking cessation outcomes: Role of depressive symptoms. Addictive Behaviours
Academic article
Hallford, Gerald; Bakhshaie, Jafar; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Shepherd, Justin; Schmidt, Norman B; Zvolensky, Michael J.. (2020) A multiple mediation model of trait worry and hazardous drinking among treatment-seeking smokers: The roles of coping and conformity drinking motives. . Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Academic article
Martinez-Vispo, Carmela; Lopez-Duran, Ana; Senra, Carmen; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Fernandez del Rio, Elena; Becoña, Elisardo. (2020) Environmental reward and depressive symptoms in the relationship between avoidance and cigarette dependence in treatment-seeking smokers. Psicothema
Academic article
Cortés-García, Laura; Takkouche, Bahi; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Senra, Carmen. (2020) Mediational mechanisms involved in the relation between attachment insecurity and depression: A meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders
Academic literature review
Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Garey, Lorra G.; Shepherd, Justin M.; Bakhshaie, Jafar; Zvolensky, Michael J.. (2020) The synergetic effect of alcohol consumption and cigarettes per day on smoking outcomes expectancies among Latinx adult smokers. . Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse
Academic article
Martinez-Vispo, Carmela; Lopez-Duran, Ana; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Fernandez del Rio, Elena; Senra, Carmen; Becoña, Elisardo. (2019) Effect of depressive symptoms and sex on the relationship between loneliness and cigarette dependence: A moderated mediation. Journal of Psychology
Academic article
Martinez-Vispo, Carmela; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Lopez-Duran, Ana; Senra, Carmen; Fernandez del Rio, Elena; Becoña, Elisardo. (2019) Cognitive-behavioral treatment with behavioral activation for smoking cessation: Randomized controlled trial. PLOS ONE
Academic article
Paulus, Daniel J.; Rodriguez Cano, Ruben; Garza, Monica; Ochoa-Perez, Maria; Lemaire, Charles; Bakhshaie, Jafar. (2019) Acculturation stress and alcohol use among Latino recruited from a primary care clinic: Moderations by emotion dysregulation. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
Academic article

Teaching

Courses

PSYK4521 - Forebygging, helsefremming, system og forvaltning 1

Knowledge Transfer

Loneliness increases the risk of developing mental health problems

Ensomhet kan utløse psykiske vansker

Ensomme mennesker bruker oftere medisiner mot depresjon, nedstemthet og psykoser.

Flerbruk av rusmidler gjør unge mer utsatt for psykiske og fysiske helseplager

Ungdom som ruste seg på flere typer rusmidler under pandemien fikk dårligere psykisk og fysisk helse og også større sosiale utfordringer enn annen ungdom. Det kommer fram av en ny studie fra UiO.

Research looks at how loneliness and mental health problems are interconnected

In a new study, researchers looked at whether lonely people are more prone to problems such as depression and psychosis. Based on medication use, the correlation is clear.

Loneliness increases the risk of developing psychosis and depression

Rodríguez-Cano et al. Loneliness in adolescence and prescription of psychotropic drugs in adulthood: 23-year longitudinal population-based and registry study, BJPsych Open, 2024. DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2024.22

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2023

Academic lecture

Cortes Garcia, Laura; Rodriguez-Cano, Ruben; von Soest, Tilmann. (2023) Within-Person Prospective Associations between Cigarette Smoking and Disordered Eating: A 28-Year Prospective Study using Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model. 9th European Conference on Tobacco or Health 2023-04-26 - 2023-04-28
Poster

Green Krogshus, Kristian; Bjertness, Espen; Czajkowski, Nikolai Olavi; Bang Nes, Ragnhild; Rodriguez-Cano, Ruben. (2023) 5 Ways to Promote Wellbeing @School. ISQOLS 2023 International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies Annual Conference , Rotterdam 2023-08-21 - 2023-08-25

Språkvelger

Rubén Rodríguez-Cano