Depression is one of the most prevalent problems and the leading cause of disability worldwide. In Chile, the rates for this pathology are among the highest internationally. According to data from the 2016-2017 National Health Survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, 15.81% of the general population over the age of 18 reports having experienced depressive symptoms in the past year; that is, feelings of sadness and loss of interest or enjoyment.

For their part, 6.2% of Chilean men and women were diagnosed with this pathology, showing a significant difference in the national prevalence between women and men, with the former having a prevalence of 10.1% and men of 2.1%.

The Millennium Institute for Research in Depression and Personality (MIDAP) is a scientific center comprised of psychologists, psychiatrists, and professionals from diverse areas of the social and health sciences. They seek to generate knowledge based on a multidimensional understanding of depression in interaction with personality, with the goal of maximizing the effectiveness of interventions by identifying the agents and mechanisms of change involved in prevention, psychotherapy, and rehabilitation.

More than 150 researchers and young people in training make up MIDAP's scientific team, who come from its six host institutions: the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the University of Chile, the University of Development, the University of La Frontera, the University of Valparaíso, and the Diego Portales University, in addition to other national and international universities.

Misión
MIDAP seeks to generate scientific knowledge on mental health, with a special emphasis on depression and personality functioning, that will contribute to improving prevention, promotion, and treatment interventions, as well as public policies. To this end, MIDAP seeks to conduct excellent scientific research, develop advanced human capital, and create scientific collaboration networks that maximize the dissemination and impact of the knowledge gained on society as a whole.

Visión
MIDAP aims to establish itself as a national and Latin American benchmark in research for the prevention, promotion, and treatment of mental health, thus contributing to the improvement of mental health and well-being.