PhD, Combined Clinical/Counseling Psychology, Utah State University (2023)
Graduate Certificate in Advanced Research Methods and Analysis – Quantitative, Utah State University (2022)

Training and Research Interests

Alejandro Luis Vázquez, PhD is an Assistant Professor and core faculty member in the Counseling Psychology Program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He earned his PhD in Combined Clinical/Counseling Psychology from Utah State University and completed his predoctoral internship at the Charleston Consortium – Child Track. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Research Methods and Analysis – Quantitative emphasis from Utah State University. Dr. Vázquez is a licensed psychologist in the state of Tennessee.

Vázquez is co-director of the Targeting Health disparities through Research, InnoVation, and Equity (THRIVE) Lab, which focuses on (a) improving access to mental health services, (b) identifying youth at-risk for developing mental health problems following exposure to adversity, (c) understanding mechanism of resilience after trauma exposures, and (d) leveraging community strengths to promote the wellbeing of marginalized youths and families.

Research Statement

The aim of Vázquez’s research is to reduce mental health disparities among historically marginalized communities, with a specific focus on Latinx youth and families. His research program seeks to reduce health disparities through (a) improved identification of youths at-risk for developing emotional and/or behavioral problems, (b) understanding mechanisms underpinning help-seeking behaviors in response to youth mental health problems, and (c) developing methodologies and resources to support research and clinical practice with underserved populations.

Vázquez’s scholarship has resulted in over 40 peer-reviewed publications and multiple book chapters including contributions focusing on advancing methods to improve the identification of youth at risk for psychological and behavioral health problems stemming from substance use, traumatic exposure, adversity, and structural oppression. His work also enhances understanding of help-seeking pathways for youths among marginalized caregivers and informs strategies to reduce barriers to care. Additionally, he has developed and/or validated self-report measures that assess caregiver strain, stigma, service need/use, and barriers to in person and telepsychology mental health services access, contributing tools for culturally informed research and practice.

His work uses both extant and original data at the international, national, and local levels to address questions related to health inequities. He employs a variety of methodologies including quantitative and qualitative approaches to examine risk and resilience processes, service utilization patterns and correlates, and culturally responsive interventions. At the local level, Vázquez has formed community-based participatory research partnerships with organizations serving marginalized families in Tennessee to co-create solutions that promote equity in mental health care access.

Presidential Citation Award for Outstanding Service, National Latinx Psychological Association (2025)

Latinidad Award for Outstanding Service, Centro Hispano de East Tennessee (2025)

Early Career Rising Star Award, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Latinx Special Interest Group (2023)

Legacy of Utah State University, College of Education and Human Services, Utah State University (2022)

Vázquez, A. L., Barrett, T. S., Venta, A. C., Alvarez, M. C., & Domenech Rodríguez, M. M. (2025). Apoyando a la juventud [supporting the youth]: Latinx caregivers’ assessment of youth mental health service need and utilization on the Caregiver Support Services Questionnaire. PLOS Mental Health, 2(6), e0000345. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000345

Vázquez, A. L., Culianos, D., Gudiño, O. G., Navarro Flores, C. M., Barrett, T. S., & Domenech Rodríguez, M. M. (2024). Dimensions of caregiver strain may partially mediate the relationship between youth symptomology and counseling utilization among Latinxs. PLOS ONE, 19(4), e0302575. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0302575

Vázquez, A. L., Navarro Flores, C. M., Feinberg, D. K., Gonzalez, J. C., Young, J., Stewart, R. W., & Orengo-Aguayo, R. E. (2024). A network analysis of Hurricane Maria-related traumatic stress and substance use among Puerto Rican youth. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 37(2), 267-279. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.23008

González Vera, J. M., Domenech Rodríguez, M. M., Navarro Flores, C. M., Vázquez, A. L., San Miguel, G. G., Phan, M. L., Bera, J., Wong, E. G., Klimczak, K., Papa, L. A., & Estrada, J. (2024). Invisible wounds: Testimony of microaggressions from the experience of clinicians of color in training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 18(4), 331–339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tep0000489

Vázquez, A. L., Chou, T., Helseth, S., Gudiño, O. G., & Domenech Rodríguez, M. M. (2023). Juntos hacemos la diferencia [together we make the difference]: A network analysis of Latinx caregivers’ use of youth support services. Family Process. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12901

Vázquez, A. L., Domenech Rodríguez, M. M., Navarro Flores, C. M., Abreu, R. L., & Barrett, T. S. (2023). La vergüenza [the shame]: Meassuring affiliate stigma associated with youth mental health problems among Latinx caregivers. Journal of Latinx Psychology. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/lat0000235

Garcini, L. M., Vázquez, A. L., Abraham, C., Abraham, C., Sarabu, V., & Cruz, P. L. (2023). Implications of undocumented status for Latinx families during the COVID-19 pandemic: A call to action. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2022.2158837

Domenech Rodríguez, M. M. Reveles, A. K., Litson, K., Patterson, C. A., & Vázquez, A.V. (2022). Development of the awareness, skills, knowledge: General (ASK-G) scale for measuring cultural competence in the general population. PLoS ONE, 17(9), e0274505. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274505

Lui, J. H. L., Brookman-Frazee, L., Vázquez, A. L., Cox, J. R., Innes-Gomberg, D., Taguchi, K., Pesanti, K., & Lau, A. S. (2022). Patterns of child mental health service utilization within a multiple EBP system of care. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 49, 506-520. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-021-01179-7

Vázquez, A. L., Culianos, D., Navarro Flores, C. M., Alvarez, M. C., Barrett, T. S., & Domenech Rodríguez, M. M. (2022). Psychometric evaluation of a barriers to treatment questionnaire for Latina/o/x caregivers of children and adolescents. Child & Youth Care Forum, 51, 847-864. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-021-09656-8

Vázquez, A. L., Chou, T., Navarro Flores, C. M., Barrett, T. S., Villodas, M. T., & Domenech Rodríguez, M. M. (2021). High value correlates of caregiver reported counseling service need and utilization for adolescents at-risk for childhood maltreatment and neglect. PLoS ONE, 16(10), e0258082. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258082

Vázquez, A. L., Alvarez, M. C., Navarro Flores, C. M., González Vera, J. M., Barrett, T. S., & Domenech Rodríguez, M. M. (2021). Youth mental health service preferences and utilization patterns among Latinx caregivers. Children and Youth Services Review, 131, 106258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106258

Vázquez, A. L., Domenech Rodríguez, M. M., Barrett, T. S., Amador Buenabad, N. G., Gutiérrez López, M. de L., Bustos Gamiño, M. N., & Villatoro Velázquez, J. A. (2021). Parent characteristics and practices classify lifetime substance use among Mexican children. International Journal of Mental Health and Addictions. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00634-8

Vázquez, A. L., Navarro Flores, C. M., Alvarez, M. C., & Domenech Rodríguez, M. M. (2021). Latinx caregivers’ perceived need for and utilization of youth telepsychology services during the Coronavirus pandemic. Journal of Latinx Psychology, 9(4), 284-298. https://doi.org/10.1037/lat0000192

García, B. H., Vázquez, A. L., Moses, J. O., Cromer, K. D., Morrow, A. S., & Villodas, M. T. (2021). Risk for substance use among adolescents at-risk for childhood victimization: The moderating role of ADHD. Child Abuse and Neglect, 11, 104977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.104977

Vázquez, A. L., Domenech Rodríguez, M. M., Barrett, T. S., Schwartz, S. E., Amador Buenabad, N. G., Bustos Gamiño, M. N., Gutierrez López, M. L., & Villatoro Velazquez J. A. (2020). Innovative identification of substance use predictors: Machine learning in a national sample of Mexican children. Prevention Science, 21, 171-181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-020-01089-4

Vázquez, A. L., Domenech Rodríguez, M. M., Amador Buenabad, N. G., Bustos Gamiño, M. N., Gutierrez López, M. L., & Villatoro Velazquez J. A. (2019). The influence of perceived parenting on substance initiation among Mexican children. Addictive Behaviors, 97, 97-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.05.026

Vázquez, A. L., Domenech Rodríguez, M. M., Schwartz, S. E., Amador Buenabad, N. G., Bustos Gamiño, M. N., Gutierrez López, M. L., & Villatoro Velazquez, J. A. (2019). Early adolescent substance use in a national sample of Mexican youths: Demographic characteristics that predict use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Journal of Latinx Psychology, 7(4), 273–283. https://doi.org/10.1037/lat0000128

Vázquez, A. L., & Villodas, M. T. (2019). Racial/ethnic differences in caregivers’ perceptions of adolescent and family support services need and utilization. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 25(3), 323-330. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000255

Domenech Rodríguez, M. M., Baumann, A. A., Vázquez, A. L., Amador Buenabad, N. G., Franceschi Rivera, N., Ortiz-Pons, N., & Parra-Cardona, J. R. (2018). Scaling out evidence-based interventions outside the US mainland: Social justice or Trojan horse? Journal of Latina/o Psychology, 6(4), 329-344. https://doi.org/10.1037/lat0000121