Research Interests and Publications:

Dr. Dishion conducts research in developmental psychopathology and intervention science. He is the founder and codirector of the Child and Family Center at the University of Oregon (http://cfc.uoregon.edu). Dr. Dishion is interested in understanding how childrens relationships with parents and peers influence the development of problem behavior in children and adolescents. His recent research interests include social neuroscience, with a particular focus on identifying neurocognitive mechanisms underlying self-regulation within interpersonal contexts. He is also interested in applying knowledge of developmental processes to the design of preventive and clinical interventions that reduce conflict and distress in families and improve child and adolescent social and emotional adjustment. He and colleagues are developing and testing an ecological approach to child and family mental health interventions in service delivery systems such as public schools.

Dr. Dishion is currently involved in six randomized intervention trials of the Family Check-Up model for behavioral health, including grants from NIDA, NIAAA, CDC, and IES.

His recent publications include:

Gardner, F., Connell, A. M., Trentacosta, C. J., Shaw, D. S., Dishion, T. J., & Wilson, M. N. (2009). Moderators of outcome in a brief family-centered intervention for preventing early problem behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77(3), 543-553.

Gartstein, M. A., Bridgett, D. J., Dishion, T. J., & Kaufman, N. K. (2009). Depressed mood and parental report of child behavior problems: Another look at the depression–distortion hypothesis. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30, 149-160.

Shaw, D. S., Connell, A. M., Dishion, T. J., Wilson, M. N., & Gardner, F. (2009). Improvements in maternal depression as a mediator of intervention effects on early childhood problem behavior. Development and Psychopathology, 21, 417-439.

Stormshak, E. A., Connell, A., & Dishion, T. J. (2009). An adaptive approach to family-centered intervention in schools: Linking intervention engagement to academic outcomes in middle and high school. Prevention Science, 10, 221-235.

Boislard, M. P., Poulin, F., Kiesner, J., & Dishion, T. J. (in press). A longitudinal examination of risky sexual behaviors among Canadian and Italian adolescents: Considering individual, parental, and friend characteristics. International Journal of Behavioral Development.

Dishion, T. J., & Stormshak, E. A. (in press). A family-centered intervention strategy for public middle schools. In M. Stanton & J. Bray (Eds.), Blackwell handbook of family psychology. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Dishion, T. J., Stormshak, E. A., & Siler, C. (in press). An ecological approach to interventions with high-risk students in schools: Using the Family Check-Up to motivate parents’ positive behavior support. In M. R. Shinn, H. M. Walker, & G. Stoner (Eds.), Interventions for achievement and behavior in a three-tier model including response to intervention. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

Dishion, T. J., & Yasui, M. (in press). Translating models of adolescent problem behavior into effective intervention: Trials, tribulations, and future directions. In K. Crosby & R. Schafer (Eds.), Handbook of developmental psychology in action: Opportunities and obstacles in giving psychology away. New York: Blackwell Publishing Co.

Kiesner, J., Dishion, T. J., Poulin, F., & Pastore, M. (in press). Temporal dynamics linking aspects of parent monitoring with early adolescent antisocial behavior. Social Development.

Kiesner, J., Poulin, F., & Dishion, T. J. ( in press). Adolescent substance use with friends: Moderating and mediating effects of parental monitoring and peer activity contexts. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly.

Linville, D., Chronister, K. M., Dishion, T. J., Todahl, J. L., Miller, J. K., Shaw, D. S., Gardner, F., & Wilson, M. N. (in press). A longitudinal analysis of parenting practices, couple satisfaction, and child behavior problems. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.

Moilanen, K. L., Shaw, D. S., Criss, M. M., & Dishion, T. J. (in press). Growth and predictors of parental knowledge of youth behavior during early adolescence. Journal of Early Adolescence.

Moilanen, K. L., Shaw, D. S., Dishion, T. J., Gardner, F., & Wilson, M. (in press). Predictors of longitudinal growth in inhibitory control in early childhood. Social Development.

Stormshak, E. A., Connell, A. M., Véronneau, M.-H., Myers, M. W., Dishion, T. J., Kavanagh, K., & Caruthers, A. S. (in press). An ecological approach to promoting early adolescent mental health and social adaptation: Family-centered intervention in public middle schools. Child Development.

Stormshak, E. A., & Dishion, T. J. (in press). A school-based family intervention to prevent substance abuse: The Family Check-Up. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.

Stormshak, E. A., Dishion, T. J., & Falkenstein, C. A. (in press). Family-centered, school-based mental health strategies to reduce student behavioral, emotional, and academic risk. In S. L. Christenson & A. L. Reschly (Eds.), Handbook on school–family partnerships for promoting student competence. New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.

Venkatraman, S., Dishion, T. J., Kiesner, J., & Poulin, F. (in press). Cross-cultural analysis of parental monitoring and adolescent problem behavior: Theoretical challenges of model replication when East meets West. In V. Guilamo-Ramos, P. Dittus, & J. Jaccard (Eds.), Parental monitoring of adolescents. New York: Columbia University Press.

Wang, M.-T., Selman, R. L., Dishion, T. J., & Stormshak, E. A. (in press). A Tobit regression analysis of the covariation between middle school students’ perceived school climate and problem behavior. Journal of Research on Adolescence.