Thomas J. Dishion, Ph.D., Senior Scientist
Education & Training
B.A., 1977
University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Philosophy
M.A., 1980
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Behavioral Science
M.A., 1984
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Clinical Psychology
Ph.D., 1988
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Clinical Psychology
In Memoriam:
In June, 2018, ORI mourned the passing of ORI Senior Scientist Tom Dishion, Ph.D., a highly respected and influential scientist in the fields of child development, prevention science, family process, and peer relations. His research work spanned the domains of developmental psychopathology, theoretical models of child and adolescent socialization, family and peer interaction methodology, child and adolescent substance use and problem behavior, adolescent depression, family-based intervention, behavior-change theory, prevention science, dynamic systems, social neuroscience, and translational research. Dr. Dishion’s work had a profound impact on these fields, restructuring what is known about child development, developmental psychopathology, and prevention science, and reshaping how that knowledge is translated into clinical and preventive interventions.
Dr. Dishion’s work directly improved the lives of countless children and families. He posthumously received the APA Division 7 2019 Urie Bronfenbrenner Award for his Distinguished Contributions to Developmental Science. Dr. Dishion was a highly valued colleague at ORI, and he is sorely missed.
Current Projects
Relationship Dynamics and Young Adult Drug Use and Abuse
PROJECT PERIOD07/01/15 - 08/31/19 FUNDING AGENCYNational Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) CURRENT STATUSActive and Not Recruiting TEAMPrincipal Investigator Co-Investigators |
Early Family Prevention of Adolescent Alcohol Drug Use and Psychopathology
PROJECT PERIOD05/01/15 - 04/30/20 FUNDING AGENCYNational Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) CURRENT STATUSCompleted TEAMPrincipal Investigator |
PROJECT PERIOD05/01/17 - 03/31/20 FUNDING AGENCYNational Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) CURRENT STATUSActive and Not Recruiting TEAMPrincipal Investigator |
Development, Ecology, and Prevention of Adult Addictive Behavior
PROJECT PERIOD06/01/15 - 05/31/16 FUNDING AGENCYNational Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) CURRENT STATUSCompleted TEAMPrincipal Investigator Co-Investigators |
Publications
Dishion, T. J., Garbacz, S. A. Seeley, J. R., Stormshak, E. A., Smolkowski, K., Moore, K. J., Falkenstein, C. A., Gau, J. M., Kim, H., & Fosco, G. M. (2019). Translational research on evidence-based parenting support within public schools: Strategies, challenges, and potential solutions. In S. A. Garbacz (Ed.), Research design and evaluation of tiered family-school partnership programs (pp. 223-244). Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/?10.4324/?9781138400382-11
Pelham, I. I. I. W. E., & Dishion, T. J. (2018). Prospective prediction of arrests for driving under the influence from relationship patterns with family and friends in adolescence. Addictive Behaviors, 78, 36-42.
Smolkowski, K., Seeley, J. R., Gau, J. M., Dishion, T. J., Stormshak, E. A., Moore, K. J., ... Grabacz, A. (2017). Effectiveness evaluation of the Positive Family Support intervention: A three-tiered public health delivery model for middle schools. Journal of School Psychology, 62, 103-125. doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2017.03.004
Otten, R., Mun, C. J., & Dishion, T. J. (2017). The social exigencies of the gateway progression to the use of illicit drugs from adolescence into adulthood. Addictive Behaviors, 73, 144-150. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.05.011
Pelham, W. E., 3rd, Dishion, T. J., Tein, J.-Y., Shaw, D. S., & Wilson, M. N. (2017). What Doesn't Work for Whom? Exploring Heterogeneity in Responsiveness to the Family Check-Up in Early Childhood Using a Mixture Model Approach. Prevention Science: The Official Journal of the Society for Prevention Research. doi:10.1007/s11121-017-0805-1
McIntyre, L. L., Pelham, I. I. I. W. E., Kim, M. H., Dishion, T. J., Shaw, D. S., & Wilson, M. N. (2016). A Brief Measure of Language Skills at 3 Years of Age and Special Education Use in Middle Childhood. The Journal of Pediatrics. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2016.10.035
Smith, J., Dishion, T., Brown, K., Ramos, K., Knoble, N., Shaw, D., & ... Wilson, M. N. (2016). An Experimental Study of Procedures to Enhance Ratings of Fidelity to an Evidence-Based Family Intervention. Prevention Science, 17(1), 62-70. doi:10.1007/s11121-015-0589-0
Van Ryzin, M. J., DeLay, D., & Dishion, T. J. (2016). Being well-liked predicts increased use of alcohol but not tobacco in early adolescence. Addictive Behaviors, 53, 168-174. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.017
DeLay, D., Ha, T., Ryzin, M., Winter, C., & Dishion, T. (2016). Changing Friend Selection in Middle School: A Social Network Analysis of a Randomized Intervention Study Designed to Prevent Adolescent Problem Behavior. Prevention Science, 17, 285-294. doi: 10.1007/s11121-015-0605-4
Dishion, T. J. (2016). From dynamics to function: negative reinforcement as an amplifying mechanism. Assessment, 23, 518-523. doi: 10.1177/1073191116657587
Stormshak, E. A., Brown, K. L., Moore, K. J., Dishion, T. J., Seeley, J., & Smolkowski, K. (2016). Going to scale with family-centered, school-based interventions: Challenges and future directions. In S. Sheridan & E. Kim (Eds.), Family-school partnerships in context (pp. 25-44). New York, NY: Springer.
Connell, A. M., & Dishion, T. J. (2016). Long-Term Effects of the Family Check-Up in Public Secondary School on Diagnosed Major Depressive Disorder in Adulthood. Journal of Youth and Adolescence.
Smith, J. D., Berkel, C., Hails, K. A., Dishion, T. J., Shaw, D. S., & Wilson, M. N. (2016). Predictors of Participation in the Family Check-Up Program: a Randomized Trial of Yearly Services from Age 2 to 10 Years. Prevention Science: The Official Journal of The Society For Prevention Research.
Moore, K. J., Garbacz, S. A., Gau, J. M., Dishion, T. J., Brown, K. L., Stormshak, E. A., & Seeley, J. R. (2016). Proactive Parent Engagement in Public Schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 18, 230-240. doi: 10.1177/1098300716632590
Dishion, T. J., Mun, C. J., Tein, J.-Y., Kim, H., Shaw, D. S., Gardner, F., . . . Peterson, J. (2016). The validation of macro and micro observations of parent–child dynamics using the relationship affect coding system in early childhood. Prevention Science. doi: 10.1007/s11121-016-0697-5
Dishion, T. J., Mun, C. J., Drake, E. C., Tein, J.-Y., Shaw, D. S., & Wilson, M. (2015). A transactional approach to preventing early childhood neglect: The Family Check-Up as a public health strategy. Development & Psychopathology, 27, 1647-1660. doi: 10.1017/S0954579415001005
Nelson, S. E., Van Ryzin, M. J., & Dishion, T. J. (2015). Alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use trajectories from age 12 to 24 years: Demographic correlates and young adult substance use problems. Development and Psychopathology, 27, 253–277.
DeLay, D., Ha, T., Van Ryzin, M., Winter, C., & Dishion, T. J. (2015). Changing Friend Selection in Middle School: A Social Network Analysis of a Randomized Intervention Study Designed to Prevent Adolescent Problem Behavior. Prevention Science: The Official Journal of the Society For Prevention Research,
Kahn, L. E., Peake, S. J., Dishion, T. J., Stormshak, E. A., & Pfeifer, J. H. (2015). Learning to play it safe (or not): Stable and evolving neural responses during adolescent risky decision-making. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 27(1), 13–25.
Weaver, C. M., Shaw, D. S., Crossan, J. L., Dishion, T. J., & Wilson, M. N. (2015). Parent–child conflict and early childhood adjustment in two-parent low-income families: Parallel developmental processes. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 46(1), 94–107
Felver, J. C., Tipsord, J. M., Morris, M. J., Racer, K. H., & Dishion, T. J. (2015). The effects of mindfulness-based intervention on children’s attention regulation. Journal of Attention Disorders.
Brennan, L. M., Shaw, D. S., Dishion, T. J., & Wilson, M. N. (2015). The predictive utility of early childhood disruptive behaviors for school-age social functioning. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.
Van Ryzin, M. J., & Dishion, T. J. (2014). Adolescent deviant peer clustering as an amplifying mechanism underlying the progression from early substance use to dependence. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 55(10), 1153–1161.
Waller, R., Gardner, F., Viding, E., Shaw, D. S., Dishion, T. J., Wilson, M. N., & Hyde, L. W. (2014). Bidirectional associations between parental warmth, callous unemotional behavior, and behavior problems in high-risk preschoolers. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 42(8), 1275–1285.
Smith, J. D., Dishion, T. J., Shaw, D. S., Wilson, M. N., Winter, C. C., & Patterson, G. R. (2014). Coercive family process and early-onset conduct problems from age 2 to school entry. Development and Psychopathology, 26(4), 917–932.
Smith, J. D., Knoble, N. B., Zerr, A. A., Dishion, T. J., & Stormshak, E. A. (2014). Family Check-Up effects across diverse ethnic groups: Reducing early-adolescence antisocial behavior by reducing family conflict. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 43(3), 400–414.
Smith, J. D., & Dishion, T. J. (2014). Mindful parenting in the development and maintenance of youth psychopathology. In J. T. Ehrenreich-May & B. C. Chu (Eds.), Transdiagnostic treatments for children and adolescents: Principles and practice (pp. 138–160). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Smith, J. D., Dishion, T. J., Shaw, D. S., & Wilson, M. N. (2014). Negative relational schemas predict the trajectory of coercive dynamics during early childhood. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.
Sitnick, S. L., Shaw, D. S., Gill, A., Dishion, T., Winter, C., Waller, R., Gardner, F., Wilson, M. (2014). Parenting and the Family Check-Up: Changes in observed parent–child interaction following early childhood intervention. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.
Smith, J. D., Montaño, Z., Dishion, T. J., Shaw, D. S., & Wilson, M. N. (2014). Preventing weight gain and obesity: Indirect effects of a family-based intervention in early childhood. Prevention Science.
Véronneau, M.-H., Hiatt Racer, K. D., Fosco, G. M., & Dishion, T. J. (2014). The contribution of adolescent effortful control to early adult educational attainment. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106(3), 730–743.
Experience
2015 -
Senior Scientist
Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR
2014-
Founder and Director
REACH Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2011-
Professor
Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2011-
Research Scientist
Child and Family Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
1991-
Licensed Child Clinical Psychologist
State of Oregon
2006-2011
Professor
Departments of Psychology & School Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
1999-2011
Founder and Director
Child and Family Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
1999-2001
Director of Clinical Training
Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
1998-2004
Principal Investigator
Development & Psychopathology Training Grant, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
1997-2006
Professor of Clinical Psychology
Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
1995-1997
Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology
College of Education, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
1988-2000
Research Scientist
Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene, OR