Robert McMahon joined the University of Miami faculty in 1977.  He earned his Ph.D. in counseling and educational psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed post-doctoral studies at the University of Missouri. 

McMahon supervises masters and doctoral level students in the Counseling Psychology Program.  His research studies encompass psychosocial factors in substance abuse and HIV risk in adolescent and adult substance abusers.  His funded projects have included “Psychological Correlates and Treatment Outcomes for High and Low Functioning Alcoholics,” and “Prediction of Relapse Among Cocaine Abusers,” and “Psychoeducation and Prevention of HIV Infection.”

His recent publications include “Personality, Stress, and Social Support in Cocaine Relapse Prediction,” in Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment , and “Effects of a Cognitive-Behavioral HIV Prevention Intervention Among HIV Negative Male Substance Abusers in VA Residential Treatment,” in AIDS Education and Prevention.

McMahon is a consultant to the School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry on drug abuse and HIV prevention, and a member of the university-wide Committee on Protection of Human Subjects in Research. He is also a member of the Faculty Senate.  He is a member of the American Psychological Association (Divisions 17 & 50) and a fellow of the Society for Personality Assessment.