Daniel Rodriguez, Ph.D.

Dr. Rodriquez received his B.A. in psychology and M.A. in Education from San Diego State University, and his Ph.D. in Human Development from the University of Maryland. He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Rodriguez taught as an adjunct instructor at various institutions including La Salle before accepting a full-time position at La Salle in 2013. He also held the position of Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and at Brown University.

Dr. Rodriguez’s research interests center upon quantitative methods, with an emphasis on structural equation modeling and longitudinal data analysis, and their application to preventive and behavioral medicine. He has co-authored 48 peer-reviewed publications, and has been a co-investigator on two NIH funded R01 grants He was also the Primary Investigator on his own NIH and foundation grants.

Areas of Expertise

Quantitative methods including structural equation modeling, latent growth curve modeling, and latent variable mixture modeling

Adolescent development

Smoking prevention

Physical activity

Pregnancy

Education

Ph.D., Human Development with an emphasis on Educational Psychology, University of Maryland

M.A., Education with an emphasis on Counseling, San Diego State University

B.A., Psychology, San Diego State University

Teaching

Statistics

Research Methods

Epidemiology

Introduction to Psychology

Human Development

Learning and Cognition

Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine

Funded Research

Source Title Annual Direct Costs Dates
1. NIH-NCI & NIDA Minority supplement (5 P50CA84718-05; Co-Investigator) $96,753 5/01/03-09/30/04
2. Prevent Cancer Foundation Mediators of the Adolescent Physical Activity and Smoking Relationship (PI) $35,000 1/15/06-1/14/08
3. Prevent Cancer Foundation The Effect of Antismoking Parenting Practices on Adolescent Smoking (PI) $40,000 1/15/08-7/31/08
4. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Pennsylvania Adolescent Smoking Project (Co-Investigator) $20,809 6/01/09-11/30/09
NIH-NCI Longitudinal Patterns and Predictors of Smoking Behavior
(R01 CA109250; Co-investigator, bio-statistician) $260,000 7/01/04-04/30/10
NIH-NCI The Effect of Antismoking Parenting Practices on Adolescent Smoking (R03CA132549-01; PI) $40,000 8/01/08-7/31/11
NIH-NCI The Protective Effects of Physical Activity on Adolescent Smoking Progression (R01 CA126958; Co-Investigator, bio-statistician) $380,449 6/01/08-4/30/13

Selected Publications

Rodriguez, D. (2001). Self and adaptation: Defining the healthy self through a creative synthesis. Self-concept theory, research, & practice: Advances for the new millennium. In Craven, R.G., & Marsh, H.W. (Eds.), Collected Papers of the Inaugural Self-Concept Enhancement and Learning Facilitation (SELF) Research Centre International Conference (pp. 355-365). Sydney, Australia: Self Research Centre.

Rodriguez, D., Wigfield, A., & Eccles, J.S. (2003). Changing competence perceptions, changing values: Implications for youth sport. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 15, 67-81.

Rodriguez, D., & Audrain-McGovern, J. (2004). Team sport participation and smoking: A general growth mixture model. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 29(4), 299-308.

Rodriguez, D., & Audrain-McGovern, J. (2004). Construct validity analysis of the Early Smoking Experience questionnaire for adolescents. Addictive Behaviors, 29(5), 1053-1057.

Audrain-McGovern, Lerman, C., Wilyeto, E.P., Rodriguez, D., & Shields, P.G. (2004). Interacting effects of genetic predisposition and depression on adolescent smoking progression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161, 1224-1230.

Audrain-McGovern, J., Rodriguez, D., Tercyak, K.P., Cuevas, J., Rodgers, K., & Patterson, F. (2004). Identifying and characterizing adolescent smoking trajectories. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 13(12), 2023-2034.

Rodriguez, D., & Audrain-McGovern, J. (2005). Physical activity, global physical selfconcept, and adolescent smoking. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 30(3), 251-259.

Rodriguez, D., Moss, H.B., & Audrain-McGovern, J. (2005). Developmental heterogeneity in adolescent depressive symptoms: Associations with smoking behavior. Psychosomatic Medicine, 67, 200-210.

Audrain-McGovern, J., Rodriguez, D., Wileyto, E.P., & Shields, P.G. (2006). Team sport participation buffers the effects of genetic predisposition on adolescent smoking progression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63(4), 433-441.

Audrain-McGovern, Al Koudsi, N., Rodriguez, D., Wilyeto, E.P., Shields, P.G., & Tyndale,R.F. (2007). The role of CYP2A6 in the emergence of nicotine dependence in adolescents. Pediatrics, 119(1), e264-274.

Rodriguez, D., Romer, D., & Audrain-McGovern, J. (2007). Beliefs about the risks of smoking mediate the relationship between exposure to smoking and smoking progression. Psychosomatic Medicine, 69(1), 106-113.

Rodriguez, D., Tscherne, J., & Audrain-McGovern, J. (2007). Contextual consistency and adolescent smoking: Testing the indirect effect of home indoor smoking restrictions on adolescent smoking through peer smoking. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 9(11),1155-1161.

Rodriguez, D., Fridlund -Dunton, G., Tscherne, J., & Sass, J. (2008). Physical activity and adolescent smoking: A moderated mediation analysis. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 1, 17-25.

Rodriguez, D., Tercyak, K.P., & Audrain-McGovern, J. (2008). Effects of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms on development of nicotine dependence from mid
adolescence to young adulthood. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 33(6), 563-75.

Al Koudsi, N., O’Loughlin, J., Rodriguez, D., Audrain-McGovern, J., & Tyndale, R. (2010). The genetic aspects of nicotine metabolism and their impact on adolescent nicotine dependence. Journal of Pediatric Biochemistry, 1(2), 105-123.

Audrain-McGovern, J., Rodriguez, D., Leventhal, A.M., Cuevas, J., Rodgers, K., & Sass, J. (2012). Where’s the pleasure in that? Low hedonic capacity predicts smoking onset and escalation. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 14(10), 1187-1196.

Rodriguez, D., Carlos, H., Adachi-Mejia, A.M., Berke, E.M., & Sargent, J.D. (2012). Predictors of tobacco outlet density nationwide: A geographic analysis. Tobacco Control, doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050120.

Audrain-McGovern, J., Rodriguez, D., Cuevas, J., & Sass, J. (in press). Initial insight into why physical activity may help prevent adolescent smoking uptake. Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Rodriguez, D., Carlos, H., Berke, E.M., Adachi-Mejia, & Sargent, J. (in press). Retail tobacco outlet exposure: Using geographic analysis to identify areas with excessively high retail density. Nicotine and Tobacco Research.

Stroud, L.R., Papandonatos, G., Shenassa, E. Rodriguez, D., Niaura, R. LeWinn, K., Lipsitt, L.P., & Buka, S.L. (in press). Prenatal glucocorticoids and maternal smoking during pregnancy independently program adult nicotine dependence in daughters: A 40-year prospective study. Biological Psychiatry.

Selected Presentations (2010-2013)

O’Loughlin J, Contreras GA, Rodriguez D, DiFranza JR. Measures of nicotine dependence in adolescents: An update of the evidence 2000-10. 12th Annual Meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Europe. September 2010, Bath, UK (poster).

Rodriguez, D., Morin, A., & Janosz, M. Academic achievement and smoking in adolescence: A prospective study. Poster presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Baltimore, MD.

Rodriguez, D., & Strasser, A. The subjective importance of smoking (SIMS). Poster presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Baltimore, MD.

Dugas, E., Low, N., Rodriguez, D., Burrows, S. Contreras, G., Chaiton, M., & O’Loughlin, J. Early predictors of suicidal ideation in young adults. Poster presented at the 2011 annual meeting of The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) in Montreal, Canada.

Rodriguez, D., & Sass, J. The role of parent/adolescent communication and peer smoking in adolescent beliefs about the risks of smoking and smoking a whole cigarette. Poster presented at the 2011 annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Toronto, Canada.

Low, N.C.P, Dugas, E., Constantin, E., Karp, I., Rodriguez, D., & O’Loughlin, J. Maternal, but not paternal, mood/anxiety disorders are associated with psychiatric disorders in young adults. Paper presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry in Philadelphia, PA.

Orloff, N., Merwin, R., Zucker, N., Martin, L., Rodriguez, D., Moskovich, A., & Timko, C.A. Changes in adaptive functioning in adolescents enrolled in Acceptance-based Separated Family Treatment for anorexia nervosa. Poster presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the International Conference on Eating Disorders in Austin, Texas.

Mitchell, J.A., Rodriguez, D., Schmitz, K.H., & Audrain-McGovern, J. Increasing sleep duration may help prevent adolescent obesity. Poster presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the Obesity Society in San Antonio, Texas.

Rodriguez, D., Niaura, R., & Stroud, L. Characterizing maternal smoking during pregnancy. Poster presented at the 2013 annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Boston, MA.

Stroud, L., Papandonatos, G., Rodriguez, D., Salisbury, A., Aubuchon-Endsley, N., Lester, B., & Niaura, R. Maternal smoking during pregnancy: effects on trajectories of newborn attention over the first month of life. Poster presented at the 2013 annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Boston, MA.

Rodriguez, D., Carlos, H.A., Berke, E.M., Adachi-Mejia, A.M., & Sargent, J.D. Retail tobacco exposure: using geographic analysis to identify areas with excessively high retail density. Paper presented at the 2013 annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Boston, MA.

Audrain-McGovern, J., Rodriguez, D., Cuevas, J., & Sass, J. Initial insight into why physical activity may help prevent adolescent smoking uptake. Poster presented at the 2013 annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Boston, MA.

Rodriguez, D., Niaura, R., & Stroud, L. Characterizing maternal smoking during pregnancy. Poster presented at the 2013 annual Brown Medical School Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Research Symposium on Mental Health Sciences in Providence, RI.

Honors, Awards

Abramson Cancer Center’s Eunice and Irving Leopold Scientific Retreat and Symposium, April 9, 2003, Best Poster Psychiatry

Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation’s Annual Report, 2006, Featured Researcher

Society of Behavioral Medicine citation recipient, 2006, “Mechanisms Linking Inattention with Nicotine Dependence.”

Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) Tobacco-Related Health Disparities Committee Travel Scholarship, 2010, Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD