Ryon McDermott

Ryon McDermott, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Professional Studies at the University of South Alabama's College of Education and Professional Studies. His research focuses on intersections of culture, individual differences, and masculinity, particularly in college student populations. He teaches courses like Multicultural Counseling and Advanced Quantitative Methods, and leads the Culture & Individual Differences Research Lab. Dr. McDermott holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Houston and has collaborated with institutions nationwide on projects addressing mental health, masculinity ideologies, and spiritual struggles. He currently oversees research for the Clinical Mental Health program and is involved in university-wide initiatives like Jag Success to improve student retention and well-being.

• Education: B.A., Psychology (University of Kansas), M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology (University of Houston)
• Key Research Areas: Masculinity studies, positive psychology, college student mental health, and religious/spiritual factors in psychotherapy
• Professional Roles: Associate Director of Clinical Training, Faculty in Clinical/Counseling Psychology PhD program, Affiliate in Clinical Mental Health

His teaching emphasizes creating supportive environments for doctoral students to develop clinical and research skills. Ongoing projects include developing assessments for prosocial masculinity and studying correlations between traditional masculinity and political extremism, gun violence, and health behaviors.

Collaborative outreach includes longitudinal studies on academic persistence, mental health needs assessments for universities, and partnerships with the University Counseling Center. His work frequently uses advanced statistical methods to address complex social-psychological questions.