Oscar Widales-Benitez, PhD

Clinical Biography

Oscar Widales-Benitez, PhD, is a licensed pediatric psychologist in UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s. He specializes in culturally responsive, evidence-based, and bilingual (Spanish & English) services for traumatized and bereaved youth as well as in the identification and intervention for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and non-suicidal self-injury. Additionally, Dr. Widales-Benitez is an assistant professor in the Dell Medical School Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Dr. Widales-Benitez earned his doctorate in school psychology from Texas A&M University, his master’s in education with a focus on school psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his bachelor’s in mathematics and communication from Texas A&M International University. He completed an internship in trauma psychology (Project Heal) at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles/University of Southern California and a fellowship in psychology at Children’s Medical Center/UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he received specialized training in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT).

Dr. Widales-Benitez's research interests include understanding factors impacting the psychological functioning of Latinx and LGBTQ+ youth, particularly those who have experienced traumatic events, grief, and/or internalizing difficulties; development and validation of culturally responsive assessment and intervention services for Latinx youth and their families; and the intersection between culture and mental health, particularly related to acculturative stress among recent Latinx immigrants.