Education
Ph.D. Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri
M.A. Counseling Psychology, Boston College
B.A. Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

Background
Dr. Frank Dillon is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work and the Scientific Director at the Center for Research on US Latinos HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA) at FIU. His work generally examines the role of cultural and contextual factors in psychological processes and outcomes. His research aims to integrate issues of human diversity (e.g., acculturation, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation) into prevention, psychotherapy and assessment; particularly concerning health disparities such as substance use disorders and HIV risk behaviors. Three focal areas of his research include,

• psychometric studies to (a) develop measures of culturally salient constructs and (b) enhance measurement validity and reliability across cultures;
• familial, cultural, and other contextual determinants of drug abuse and HIV risk behaviors among racial and ethnic minority youth and adults;
• the efficacy of psychotherapy, as well as predictors of service utilization, among racial and ethnic minority adolescents diagnosed with drug abuse and dependence.

In 2004, Dr. Dillon was awarded a Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program Grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA). Dr. Dillon is an Associate Member of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence and a member of the American Psychological Association.

Courses
SOW 6711 Prevention of Addiction and Related Problems
SOW 6114 Assessment and Treatment of Addiction

Research
Dillon, F.R., De La Rosa, M., Schwartz, S.J., Rojas, P., Duan, R., & Malow, R. (in press). U.S. Latina age of sexual debut: Long-term associations and implications for HIV and drug abuse prevention. AIDS Care.

De La Rosa, M., Dillon, F.R., Ganapati, E., Rojas, P., Pinto, E., & Prado, G. (in press). Mother-daughter attachment and drug abuse among Latinas in the United States. Journal of Drug Issues.

Dillon, F.R., & Worthington, R. L. (in press). The Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Affirmative Counseling Self-Efficacy Inventory (LGB-CSI). In S. Fisher, C. Davis, W. Yarber, and S. Davis (Eds.). Handbook of Sexuality-Related Measures, 3rd. London, Taylor & Francis.

Dillon, F.R., & Worthington, R. L. (in press). The Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale (LGB-KAS). In S. Fisher, C. Davis, W. Yarber, and S. Davis (Eds.). Handbook of Sexuality-Related Measures, 3rd. London, Taylor & Francis.

De La Rosa, M., Dillon, F.R., Rojas, P.R., Schwartz, S.J., & Duan, R. (in press). Latina mother-daughter dyads: Relations between attachment and sexual behavior under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Archives of Sexual Behavior.

Dillon, F.R., Felix-Ortiz, M., Rice, C., De La Rosa, M., Rojas, P., & Duan, R. (2009). Validating the Multidimensional Measure of Cultural Identity Scales for Latinos among Latina mothers and daughters. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 15, 191-201.

Dillon, F.R., Worthington, R.L., Soth-McNett, A.M., & Schwartz, S.J. (2008). Gender and sexual identity based predictors of lesbian, gay, and bisexual affirmative counseling self-efficacy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 39, 353-360.

Mena, M.P., Dillon, F.R., Mason, C., & Santisteban, D.S. (2008). Cultural and familial predictors of sexual risk communication between parents and Hispanic substance abusing youth. Journal of Drug Issues - Special Issue: Explaining Contemporary Hispanic Drug Use/Abuse: Issues and Challenges, 38, 215-234.

Kim, S., Trebeka, M.J., De la Rosa, M., & Dillon, F.R. (2008). Role of place of residence on drinking and driving among students in a Hispanic serving university. Florida Public Health Review, 5, 36-46.

Robbins, M.S., Szapocznik, J., Dillon, F.R., Turner, C.W., Mitrani, V.B., & Feaster, D.J. (2008). The efficacy of structural ecosystems therapy with drug abusing/dependent African American and Hispanic American adolescents. Journal of Family Psychology, 22, 51-61.

Dillon, F.R., Pantin, H., Robbins, M.S., & Szapocznik, J. (2008). Exploring the role of parental monitoring of peers on the relationship between family functioning and delinquency in the lives of African American and Hispanic adolescents. Crime & Delinquency, 54, 65-95.

Robbins, M.R., Szapocznik, J., Feaster, D.J., Mayorga, C.C., Dillon, F.R., & Burns, M. (2007). The impact of family functioning on family racial socialization processes. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 13, 313-320.

Suarez-Morales, L., Dillon, F.R., & Szapocznik, J. (2007). Validation of the Acculturative Stress Inventory for Children. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 13, 216-224.

Robbins, M.R., Briones, E., Schwartz, S., Dillon, F.R., & Mitrani, V. (2006). Differences in family functioning in grandparent and parent-headed households in a clinical sample of drug using African American adolescents. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 12, 84-100.

Schwartz, S.J., Adamson, L., Ferrer-Wreder, L., Dillon, F.R., & Berman, S.L. (2006). Identity status measurement across contexts: Variations in measurement structure and mean levels among White American, Hispanic American, and Swedish Emerging Adults. Journal of Personality Assessment, 86, 61-76.

Dillon, F.R., Turner, C.W., Robbins, M.S., & Szapocznik, J. (2005). Concordance between biological, interview, and self-report measures of drug use among African American and Hispanic adolescents referred for drug abuse treatment. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 19, 404-413.

Santisteban, D.S, Dillon, F.R., Mena, M.P., Leon, Y., & Vaughan, E.L. (2005). Psychiatric, family, and ethnicity-related factors that can impact treatment utilization among Hispanic substance abusing adolescents, In: M.R.

De La Rosa, L. Holleran, S.L. Ashenberg-Straussner (Eds.), Substance Abusing Latinos: Current Research on Epidemiology, Prevention, and Treatment, New York University Press.

Santisteban, D.S., Dillon, F.R., Mena, M., Leon, Y., & Vaughan, E.L. (2005). Predictors of treatment utilization among Hispanic substance abusing youth. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 5, 133-155.

Burns, M.J., & Dillon, F.R. (2005). AIDS health locus of control, self-efficacy for safer sexual practices and future time orientation as predictors of condom use in African American college students. Journal of Black Psychology, 31, 172-188.

Worthington, R.L., Dillon, F.R., & Becker-Schutte, A.M. (2005). Development, reliability, and validity of the LGB Knowledge and Attitudes Scale for Heterosexuals (LGB-KASH). Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52, 104-118.

Dillon, F.R., Worthington, R.L., Bielstein Savoy, H., Rooney, S.C., Becker-Schutte, A., & Guerra, R.M. (2004). On becoming allies: A qualitative study of LGB-affirmative counselor training. Counselor Education and Supervision, 43, 162-178.

Worthington, R.L., & Dillon, F.R. (2003). The theoretical orientation profile scale-revised: A validation study. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 36, 95-105.

Dillon, F.R., & Worthington, R.L. (2003). The lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) affirmative counseling self-efficacy inventory: Development, validation, and training implications. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 50, 235-251.

Worthington, R.L., Savoy, H., Dillon, F.R., & Vernaglia, E.R. (2002). Heterosexual identity development: A multidimensional model of individual and group identity. The Counseling Psychologist, 30, 496-531.