Predoctoral Clinical Internship — Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital
Dr. Driscoll’s research interests encompass two broad domains. His research incorporates basic as well as translational clinical science with community and clinical populations.
The first area of research investigates behavioral and interpersonal models of cultural stress and depression among individuals of underrepresented and/or marginalized groups, with an emphasis on Latinxs. The long-term goal of this research is to identify the social and psychological mechanisms by which cultural change and adaptation occur and their relationship to mental health. This research focuses on cultural adaptation with respect to culturally relevant behaviors, values, and attitudes; one’s commitment, attachment to, and exploration of racial-ethnic identity; and how the ability to flexibly express and synthesize disparate cultural identities influences cultural behaviors and subsequent mental health outcome. This lab uses mainly community-based approaches, with recent research projects incorporating community-based participatory research (CBPR) to examine structural and socioecological conditions that influence mental health awareness and access among Latinxs living in the Chicago metropolitan area.
The second area of research is in the study of evidence-based, behavioral psychotherapies for disorders of overcontrol (OC), with the long-term goal to further understand maladaptive overcontrol and subsequently refine and adapt treatment approaches, particularly Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT). Several studies investigating the efficacy of RO DBT suggest that it may be superior to treatment-as-usual for disorder of maladaptive OC (Chen et al., 2015; Isaksson et al., 2021; Lynch et al., 2003; Lynch et al., 2007; Lynch et al., 2013; Lynch et al., 2019). The long-term goal is to further understand maladaptive overcontrol and subsequently refine and adapt treatment approaches. This lab is currently investigating whether: (1) specific behavioral subtypes of overcontrol exist and can be reliably measured in clinical practice, and (2) to evaluate whether subtypes of OC personality style correspond to differences in interpersonal problems and distress.
Dr. Driscoll is a member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, the Society of Clinical Psychology (APA Division 12), the Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race (APA Division 45), and the Association for Psychological Science.
- Cultural adaptation processes
- Mental health disparities
- Transactional stress and coping models
- Racism and discrimination
- Latinx mental health
- Black and African American mental health
- Depression
- Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO DBT)
*denotes mentored research assistant
Driscoll, M. W., Galarza, A.*, & Todman, L. C. (2024). Ethnic-racial identity latent profiles protect against racial discrimination in Black American adults. Journal of Counseling Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000745
Fivecoat, H. C., Mazurek, C., Cunningham, C. N., Ghandi, K., Driscoll, M. W., Reischer, H., Hendershot, Q., Kritzik, R., & Lawrence, E. (2022). It’s not us, it’s COVID-19: Individual and relational stress among Latine couples early in the pandemic. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 13, 55-66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000222
Driscoll, M. W., & Torres, L. (2022). Cultural adaptation profiles among Mexican-descent Latinxs: Acculturation, acculturative stress, and depression. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 28, 248-258. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000503
Driscoll, M. W., & Torres, L. (2020). The protective roles of intercultural competence and Latino acculturation on acculturative stress and depression: A brief longitudinal study. Journal of Latinx Psychology, 8, 161-177. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/lat0000138
Driscoll, M. W., Reynolds, J. R.*, & Todman, L. (2015). Dimensions of race-related stress and African American life satisfaction: A test of the protective role of collective efficacy. Journal of Black Psychology, 41, 462-486. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798414543690
Driscoll, M. W., & Torres, L. (2013). Acculturative stress and Latino depression: The mediating role of behavioral and cognitive resources. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 19, 373-382. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032821
Todman, L. C., Taylor, J. S., McDowell, T., Driscoll, M. W., Cooper, D., & Kim, E. (2013). U.S. Equal employment opportunity commission policy guidance: A mental health impact assessment. Chicago, Illinois: Adler School of Professional Psychology.
Driscoll, M. W., & Wierzbicki, M. J. (2012). Predicting reasons for experiencing depression in Pakistani and Palestinian Muslims: The roles of religion and acculturation. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 6, 39 – 61. https://doi.org/10.3998/jmmh.10381607.0006.204
Torres, L., Driscoll, M. W., & Voell, M. (2012). Discrimination, acculturation, acculturative stress, and Latino psychological distress: A moderated-mediational model. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 18, 17 – 25. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026710
Torres, L., Driscoll, M. W., & Burrow, A. L. (2010). Racial microaggressions and psychological functioning among highly-achieving African Americans: A mixed-methods approach. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 29, 1074 – 1099. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2010.29.10.1074
Selected Presentations
Driscoll, M. W., Hernandez, E.*, Drexler, N.*, & Sciammarella, E. E. (October, 2024). Increasing equitable mental health through promotoras: A social determinants framework. In M. W. Driscoll (Chair), Mental Health Correlates among U.S. Latinxs: Socio-ecological, Familial, and Individual Risk and Protective Factors. Symposium to be conducted at the meeting of the National Latinx Psychological Association, San Juan, PR.
Drexler, N.*, Driscoll, M. W., & Pham, A.* (April, 2024). Acculturative stress domains and ethnic-racial identity among U.S. Latinxs. Paper presented at the meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
Galarza, A.*, & Driscoll, M. W. (November, 2022). Ethnic-racial identity profiles as a protective factor against racial discrimination in Black American adults. Poster presented at the meeting of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapists, New York, NY.
Driscoll, M. W., McDowell, T., & Taylor, S. (August, 2012). Lessons learned from transdisciplinary, community-collaborative research. In M. W. Driscoll (Chair), Mental Health in Disadvantaged and Marginalized Communities: A Multi-Method, Collaborative Approach. Symposium conducted at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Orlando, FL.