Thomas McMahon, PhD
Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry and in The Child Study Center
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
As a clinical child and school psychologist, Dr. McMahon is broadly interested in ways the principles of developmental psychopathology can be used to explore the impact of drug addiction on family process and the psychosocial development of parents and children. He is particularly interested in (a) parenting as a treatment issue for men and women affected by alcohol or drug addiction and (b) the development of parent intervention for men and women receiving treatment for alcohol or drug addiction.
Coauthors
Research Interests
Child Abuse; Father-Child Relations; Fathers; Parent-Child Relations; Parents; Domestic Violence; Substance-Related Disorders; Reproductive Behavior
Public Health Interests
Child/Adolescent Health
Selected Publications
- Mothering from the Inside Out: Results of a community‐based randomized efficacy trial testing a mentalization‐based parenting intervention for mothers with addictionsLowell A, DeCoste C, Dalton R, Dias H, Borelli J, Martino S, McMahon T, Suchman N. Mothering from the Inside Out: Results of a community‐based randomized efficacy trial testing a mentalization‐based parenting intervention for mothers with addictions Infant Mental Health Journal 2023, 44: 142-165. PMID: 36862381, DOI: 10.1002/imhj.22043.
- Self‐report measure of parental reflective functioning: A study of reliability and validity across three samples of varying clinical riskCarlone C, Milan S, Decoste C, Borelli J, McMahon T, Suchman N. Self‐report measure of parental reflective functioning: A study of reliability and validity across three samples of varying clinical risk Infant Mental Health Journal 2023, 44: 240-254. PMID: 36857469, DOI: 10.1002/imhj.22046.
- Enhancing parental reflective functioning: A special tribute to the life and work of Nancy E. Suchman, PhDBorelli J, DeCoste C, McMahon T. Enhancing parental reflective functioning: A special tribute to the life and work of Nancy E. Suchman, PhD Infant Mental Health Journal 2023, 44: 137-141. PMID: 36857483, DOI: 10.1002/imhj.22049.
- Reflective functioning in mothers with addictions: Differential relationships involving family history of mental illness and substance useLowell A, Yatziv T, Peacock-Chambers E, Zayde A, DeCoste C, Suchman N, McMahon T. Reflective functioning in mothers with addictions: Differential relationships involving family history of mental illness and substance use Frontiers In Psychology 2022, 13: 911069. PMID: 36312152, PMCID: PMC9614557, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.911069.
- Mothering from the Inside Out: Addressing the Intersection of Addiction, Adversity, and Attachment with Evidence-Based Parenting InterventionLowell AF, Peacock-Chambers E, Zayde A, DeCoste CL, McMahon TJ, Suchman NE. Mothering from the Inside Out: Addressing the Intersection of Addiction, Adversity, and Attachment with Evidence-Based Parenting Intervention Current Addiction Reports 2021, 8: 605-615. PMID: 34306964, PMCID: PMC8280593, DOI: 10.1007/s40429-021-00389-1.
- Fatherhood, Substance Use, and Early Child DevelopmentMcMahon T. Fatherhood, Substance Use, and Early Child Development 2020, 581-602. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-51027-5_36.
- A randomized pilot trial of two parenting interventions for fathers in residential substance use disorder treatmentStover CS, McMahon TJ, Moore K. A randomized pilot trial of two parenting interventions for fathers in residential substance use disorder treatment Journal Of Substance Abuse Treatment 2019, 104: 116-127. PMID: 31370975, PMCID: PMC6699774, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2019.07.003.
- Psychological Assessment and Treatment of Emerging Adults Exposed to Complex TraumaPrice M, Arditi R, Olezeski C, McMahon T. Psychological Assessment and Treatment of Emerging Adults Exposed to Complex Trauma Evidence-Based Practice In Child And Adolescent Mental Health 2019, 4: 273-295. DOI: 10.1080/23794925.2019.1618225.
- Does Maternal Reflective Functioning Mediate Associations Between Representations of Caregiving With Maternal Sensitivity in a High-Risk Sample?Alvarez-Monjarás M, McMahon TJ, Suchman NE. Does Maternal Reflective Functioning Mediate Associations Between Representations of Caregiving With Maternal Sensitivity in a High-Risk Sample? Psychoanalytic Psychology 2019, 36: 82-92. PMID: 30853749, PMCID: PMC6404967, DOI: 10.1037/pap0000166.
- Does improvement in maternal attachment representations predict greater maternal sensitivity, child attachment security and lower rates of relapse to substance use? A second test of Mothering from the Inside Out treatment mechanismsSuchman NE, DeCoste C, Borelli JL, McMahon TJ. Does improvement in maternal attachment representations predict greater maternal sensitivity, child attachment security and lower rates of relapse to substance use? A second test of Mothering from the Inside Out treatment mechanisms Journal Of Substance Abuse Treatment 2017, 85: 21-30. PMID: 29291768, PMCID: PMC5753433, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2017.11.006.
- Mothering From the Inside Out: Results of a second randomized clinical trial testing a mentalization-based intervention for mothers in addiction treatmentSuchman NE, DeCoste CL, McMahon TJ, Dalton R, Mayes LC, Borelli J. Mothering From the Inside Out: Results of a second randomized clinical trial testing a mentalization-based intervention for mothers in addiction treatment Development And Psychopathology 2017, 29: 617-636. PMID: 28401850, PMCID: PMC5407293, DOI: 10.1017/s0954579417000220.
- Using a lifetime relationships calendar with veterans to model the effects of military deployment on sexual partneringRosen M, Black A, McMahon T, Brecht L, Potenza M. Using a lifetime relationships calendar with veterans to model the effects of military deployment on sexual partnering Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2017, 171: e178-e179. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.08.490.
- Mothering from the Inside Out: results of a pilot study testing a mentalization-based therapy for mothers enrolled in mental health servicesSuchman NE, Ordway MR, de las Heras L, McMahon TJ. Mothering from the Inside Out: results of a pilot study testing a mentalization-based therapy for mothers enrolled in mental health services Attachment & Human Development 2016, 18: 596-617. PMID: 27575343, PMCID: PMC5102065, DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2016.1226371.
- Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults in the Publicly Funded System of CareMcMahon T, Hamlett N, Olezeski C, Van Deusen T, Harris N, Flanigan D. Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults in the Publicly Funded System of Care 2016, 133-154. DOI: 10.1093/med/9780190214678.003.0009.
- Child Maltreatment and Emerging AdulthoodMcMahon TJ. Child Maltreatment and Emerging Adulthood Child Maltreatment 2014, 19: 135-144. PMID: 25361790, DOI: 10.1177/1077559514555960.
- Opioid dependence and intimate partner violence: associations with the current parenting behavior of fathersStover C, McMahon T. Opioid dependence and intimate partner violence: associations with the current parenting behavior of fathers Advances In Dual Diagnosis 2014, 7: 3-14. DOI: 10.1108/add-09-2013-0022.
- Parenting of Men With Co-Occurring Intimate Partner Violence and Substance AbuseStover CS, Easton CJ, McMahon TJ. Parenting of Men With Co-Occurring Intimate Partner Violence and Substance Abuse Journal Of Interpersonal Violence 2013, 28: 2290-2314. PMID: 23422845, PMCID: PMC3691327, DOI: 10.1177/0886260512475312.
- Substance-abusing fathers: A developmental perspective.McMahon, T. J. (2013). Substance-abusing fathers: A developmental perspective. In N. E. Suchman, M. Pajulo, & L. C. Mayes (Eds.), Parenting and substance addiction: Developmental approaches to intervention (pp. 156-182). New York: Oxford University Press.
- Fathers Too! Building parent intervention for substance-abusing men.McMahon, T. J. (2013). Fathers Too! Building parent intervention for substance-abusing men. In N. E. Suchman, M. Pajulo, & L. C. Mayes (Eds.), Parenting and substance addiction: Developmental approaches to intervention (pp. 447-468). New York: Oxford University Press.
- Fathers entering substance abuse treatment: An examination of substance abuse, trauma symptoms and parenting behaviorsStover CS, Hall C, McMahon TJ, Easton CJ. Fathers entering substance abuse treatment: An examination of substance abuse, trauma symptoms and parenting behaviors Journal Of Substance Abuse Treatment 2012, 43: 335-343. PMID: 22305235, PMCID: PMC3346880, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2011.12.012.
- Drug Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence: A Comparative Study of Opioid‐Dependent FathersMoore BC, Easton CJ, McMahon TJ. Drug Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence: A Comparative Study of Opioid‐Dependent Fathers American Journal Of Orthopsychiatry 2011, 81: 218-227. PMID: 21486264, PMCID: PMC3077808, DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.2011.01091.x.
- Drug abuse and responsible fathering: a comparative study of men enrolled in methadone maintenance treatmentMcMahon TJ, Winkel JD, Rounsaville BJ. Drug abuse and responsible fathering: a comparative study of men enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment Addiction 2008, 103: 269-283. PMID: 18199306, DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.02075.x.
- Defining Characteristics and Potential Consequences of Caretaking Burden Among Children Living in Urban PovertyMcMahon TJ, Luthar SS. Defining Characteristics and Potential Consequences of Caretaking Burden Among Children Living in Urban Poverty American Journal Of Orthopsychiatry 2007, 77: 267-281. PMID: 17535125, PMCID: PMC3471375, DOI: 10.1037/0002-9432.77.2.267.
- Drug-abusing fathers: Patterns of pair bonding, reproduction, and paternal involvementMcMahon TJ, Winkel JD, Suchman NE, Rounsaville BJ. Drug-abusing fathers: Patterns of pair bonding, reproduction, and paternal involvement Journal Of Substance Abuse Treatment 2007, 33: 295-302. PMID: 17399935, PMCID: PMC2093946, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2006.12.010.
- Looking for Poppa: Parenting Status of Men Versus Women Seeking Drug Abuse TreatmentMcMahon T, Winkel J, Luthar S, Rounsaville B. Looking for Poppa: Parenting Status of Men Versus Women Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment The American Journal Of Drug And Alcohol Abuse 2005, 31: 79-91. DOI: 10.1081/ada-37567.
- Substance-abusing fathers in family court: Moving from popular stereotypes to therapeutic jurisprudence.McMahon, T. J., & Giannini, F. D. (2003). Substance-abusing fathers in family court: Moving from popular stereotypes to therapeutic jurisprudence. Family Court Review, 41, 337-353.
- Substance abuse and fathering: adding poppa to the research agendaMcMahon TJ, Rounsaville BJ. Substance abuse and fathering: adding poppa to the research agenda Addiction 2002, 97: 1109-1115. PMID: 12199823, DOI: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00159.x.
- Tell them you love them because you never know when things could change: Voices of adolescents living with HIV-positive mothersReyland S, Higgins-D'Alessandro A, McMahon T. Tell them you love them because you never know when things could change: Voices of adolescents living with HIV-positive mothers AIDS Care 2002, 14: 285-294. PMID: 11940285, DOI: 10.1080/09540120120076977.