Prof. Robert J. McMahon, Ph.D. has extensive knowledge in the field of prevention of conduct disorder and violence against children. He is the founding (and current) director of the Institute for the Reduction of Youth Violence at SFU. Moreover, he has been a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the LEEF B.C. Leadership Chair in Proactive Approaches to Reducing Risk for Violence among Children and Youth since 2010. He is also a Senior Scientist in the Brain, Behaviour, & Development theme of the B.C. Children’s Hospital Research Institute.

The primary focus of Prof. McMahon’s research rests on understanding the development of conduct problems (and other problem behaviour) in children and adolescents. Additionally, he considers the developmental course of conduct problems over time and the best way to prevent and treat these problems, especially in the family context.

Prof. McMahon is the author of more than 250 scientific publications, book chapters, and books. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Prevention Science from 2007 to 2013, and he is currently on the editorial board of a number of other journals. Prof. McMahon has been a member of the Planning Committee for the Banff International Conferences on Behavioural Science since 1981. Multiple awards have distinguished Prof. McMahon’s work, such as the Service to SPR Award from the Society for Prevention Research in 2014 and the Trailblazer Award from the Parenting and Families Special Interest Group of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies in 2011.