M. Cristina Cruza-Guet

M. Cristina Cruza-Guet, Ph.D., serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Professional Psychology and Family Therapy at Seton Hall University. Her research addresses critical gaps in mental health services for marginalized populations through interdisciplinary approaches spanning clinical psychology and public health.

Dr. Cruza-Guet's academic training includes:

• Postdoctoral Fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine & School of Public Health (2014) specializing in co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, public sector administration, and social support interventions
• Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Lehigh University (2010) with focus on Hispanic elders' mental health and multiculturalism
• Predoctoral Internship at University of Pennsylvania (2010) in psychotherapy for affective disorders and disordered eating

Her research centers on health disparities and vulnerable populations, with signature work on the SAVA syndemic (substance use, violence, HIV), Hispanic elders' mental health, and culturally competent interventions. She employs community-based participatory methods to develop solutions leveraging informal social networks and paraprofessional support systems.

Analysis of her 2008-2024 publications reveals consistent focus on racial/ethnic disparities in service utilization, neighborhood-mental health connections among Hispanic elders, and co-developed interventions with persons in recovery. Her work bridges clinical practice, public health policy, and community engagement to address complex syndemics affecting homeless populations and cultural minorities.