Pablo Montero-Zamora
Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Health Education
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Faculty Fellowships in Latin American Studies (Holder)
Email: pmontero@austin.utexas.edu
Office: BEL 524
View Curriculum Vitae (pdf)
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Faculty Fellowships in Latin American Studies (Holder)
Email: pmontero@austin.utexas.edu
Office: BEL 524
View Curriculum Vitae (pdf)
Dr. Montero-Zamora is an assistant professor in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin, where he also leads the Community Health Research and Implementation Science Lab (CHeRISh Lab). His research examines how contextual, familial, and individual-level factors influence substance use, mental health, and chronic diseases among minority populations (e.g., Hispanic and African Americans). This work includes an independent component analyzing national datasets from low- and middle-income countries to identify trends in substance use and inform public health strategies. Ultimately, his etiologic research informs intervention studies focused on developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally adapted, evidence-based interventions. These interventions span across prevention levels and are aimed at addressing persistent health disparities in the U.S. and low- and middle-income countries.
Dr. Montero-Zamora earned his Ph.D. in Prevention Science and Community Health from the University of Miami and completed postdoctoral training as a UT Austin Provost Early Career Postdoctoral Fellow. His academic journey also includes an M.S. in Epidemiology from the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico, an M.S. in Dentistry from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain, and a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Costa Rica. He has published extensively in top-tier journals on topics related to prevention and implementation science, public health, and social epidemiology.
Ph.D. in Prevention Science & Community Health, University of Miami (Florida, United States), 2021
M.S. in Epidemiology, Health Metrics Major, National Institute of Public Health of Mexico (INSP; Morelos, Mexico), 2016
M.S. in Dentistry, Major in Prevention Science, Complutense University of Madrid (Madrid, Spain), 2012
B.S. in Dental Surgery, Major in Surgery, University of Costa Rica (San José, Costa Rica), 2010
Focuses on understanding how contextual, familial, and individual-level factors influence substance use, mental health, and chronic diseases, and translating this evidence into culturally adapted, evidence-based interventions spanning a spectrum from primary to tertiary prevention to address persistent health disparities in the U.S. and low- and middle-income countries.
Conference Abstract Reviewer, Abstract Reviews, Society of Prevention Research(2020 - Present)
Chair, Research Collaboration Working Group, International Committee, Society of Prevention Research(2019 - Present)
Member, International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP)(2019 - Present)
Member, National Hispanic Science Network(2018 - Present)
Member, Society of Prevention Research(2017 - Present)
Collaborator, Global Burden of Disease Collaborator Network, Institute of Health Metrics & Evaluation(2015 - Present)
Member, College of Dental Surgeons of Costa Rica(2010 - Present)
Montero-Zamora, P., Sahbaz, S., Cobb, C.L., Scaramutti, C., Alpysbekova, A., Talavera-Camacho, E., Duque, M., Bautista, T., Ertanir, B., Garcia, M.F., Brown, E.C. & Schwartz, S.J.. (2024). Effects of cultural stressors and family etiologic factors on behavioral and mental health among Mexican and other Hispanic/Latino immigrant parents in the United States. Children and Youth Services Review..
Montero-Zamora, P., Marsiglia, F., Nguyen, A., Toumbourou, J. & Robertson, E. B.. (2024). Introduction to the special issue: International responses to prevention intervention research during human ecosystem disruptions. Prevention Science, 25(2), 209212. doi:10.1007/s11121-024-01650-5.
Montero-Zamora, P., Brown, E.C., Ringwalt, C.L., Schwartz, S.J., Prado, G. & Ortiz-García, J. (2023). Effects of A Family-Based Program for Reducing Risk for Youth Alcohol Use in Mexico. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1–14. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02725-7.
Montero-Zamora, P., Cordoba, J., Thomas, J.E., Pinedo, M., Pasch, K.E., Schwartz, S.J., Brown, E.C. & Eddy, J.M. (2023). Prevalence and potential etiology of youth substance use in Costa Rica: Findings from the Third National Youth Survey. Children and Youth Services Review, 155. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107226.
Montero-Zamora, P. (2023). Translating Evidence-based Substance Use Prevention Interventions in Latino America and the Caribbean: The Key Role of Cultural Adaptation. Journal of Adolescent Health, 73(3), 401–402. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.06.003..
Montero-Zamora, P., Vos, S., Unger, J.B., Zeledon, I., Lee, R., Soto, D.W., Brown, E.C., Duque, M., Garcia, M.F., Scaramutti, C., Ertanir, B. & Schwartz, S.J. (2023). Perceived Negative Political Climate Among Hispanic/Latino Adolescents Before and After the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election: Associations with Internalizing Symptoms and Substance Use. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 94(101790). doi:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2023.101790.
Montero-Zamora, P., Salas-Wright, C.P., Brown, E.C., Garcia, M.F., Scaramutti, C., Rodríguez, J., Bates, M.M., Maldonado-Molina, M.M. & Schwartz, S.J. (2023). Hurricane stress, cultural stress, and mental health among Hurricane Maria migrants in the U.S mainland. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 93(3), 211224. doi:10.1037/ort0000669.
Montero-Zamora, P., Brown, E.C., Ringwalt, C.L., Schwartz, S.J., Prado, G. & Ortiz-Garcia, J. (2023). Etiologic mechanisms in an adapted family-based preventive intervention for underage alcohol use in Mexico: Results of an exploratory pilot study.. Family Process, 62(2), 609–623. doi:10.1111/famp.12800.
Montero-Zamora, P., Brown, E.C., Ringwalt, C.L., Schwartz, S.J., Prado, G. & Ortiz-Garcia, J. (2022). Predictors of engagement and attendance of a family-based prevention program for underage drinking in Mexico. Prevention Science, 23(2), 237–247. doi:10.1007/s11121-021-01301-z.
Schwartz, S.J., Montero-Zamora, P., Salas-Wright, C.P., Brown, E.C., Garcia, M.F., Scaramutti, C., Rodríguez, J., Piñeros-Leaño, M., Bates, M.M. & Maldonado-Molina, M.M. (2022). After Hurricane Maria: Effects of disaster trauma on Puerto Rican survivors on the U.S. mainland. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy., Advance online publi. doi:10.1037/tra0001371.
Pinedo, M., Montero-Zamora, P., Pasch, K.E. & Schwartz, S.J. (2022). Immigration policies as political determinants of alcohol and drug misuse among US-born Latinos. Journal of International Drug Policy, 106(103754). doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103754.
Brown, E.C., Montero-Zamora, P., Ortíz-Garcia, J., Aviles, K., Beaulieu, D. & Haggerty, K.P. (2022). Development and implementation of Businesses That Care in Zacatecas, Mexico. Prevention Science, 23(4), 663–673. doi:10.1007/s11121-021-01312-w.
Montero-Zamora, P., St. Fleur, R.G., Mejía-Trujillo, J. & Brown, E.C. (2021). Contextual fit of a family evidence-based intervention for preventing youth alcohol use in Mexico. Journal of Primary Prevention, 42(5), 441457. doi:10.1007/s10935-021-00640-5.
Montero-Zamora, P., Reyes-Rodríguez, M.F., Cardozo-Macías, F., Brown, E.C., Pérez-Gómez, A., MejíaTrujillo, J., Toro, J. & Paredes-Aguilar, M. (2020). Adolescent substance use and its association with risk and protective factors. An exploratory analysis of the large-scale school survey of Comunidades Que se Cuidan, Colombia. Adicciones, 32(2), 105–115. doi:10.20882/adicciones.1083.
Health Disparities on Hispanic/Latino Parents in the U.S. and Mexico
This study aims to identify predictors of psychological distress and hazardous alcohol use in a sample of Hispanic/Latino parents with children aged 8 to 16 years residing in the US and Mexico. Specifically, we want to examine the predictive ability of specific parental characteristics and behaviors linked to youth antisocial behavior, such as (1) sociodemographic factors (e.g., age, gender, education), (2) family risk- and protective factors (e.g., family conflict, family functioning), (3) perceived stress, (4) cultural factors (e.g., discrimination, the context of reception), and (5) disclosure and exposure to alcohol-related content on social media.
This study aims to identify predictors of psychological distress and hazardous alcohol use in a sample of Hispanic/Latino parents with children aged 8 to 16 years residing in the US and Mexico. Specifically, we want to examine the predictive ability of specific parental characteristics and behaviors linked to youth antisocial behavior, such as (1) sociodemographic factors (e.g., age, gender, education), (2) family risk- and protective factors (e.g., family conflict, family functioning), (3) perceived stress, (4) cultural factors (e.g., discrimination, the context of reception), and (5) disclosure and exposure to alcohol-related content on social media.
Analysis of the Third National Youth Survey of Costa Rica, 2018
This study will use de-identified data from the Third National Youth Survey of Costa Rica (NYS-CRC), 2018. Data were obtained from the Government of Costa Rica (Youth Institute) upon previous and formal request. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to explore the prevalence and predictors of health behaviors in Costa Rican youths.
This study will use de-identified data from the Third National Youth Survey of Costa Rica (NYS-CRC), 2018. Data were obtained from the Government of Costa Rica (Youth Institute) upon previous and formal request. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to explore the prevalence and predictors of health behaviors in Costa Rican youths.
Hispanic/Latinx Immigrant and Migrant Health in the Rio Grande Valley
The study aims to understand the health conditions of Hispanic/Latinx immigrants and migrants (i.e., im/migrants) in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) region. The overarching goal is to identify research gaps, establish sustainable partnerships, and generate insights for subsequent pilot studies and community-driven interventions within the RGV region, contributing to an enhanced understanding of im/migrant health dynamics in the RGV. This research is the first stage of a formal collaboration between UT Austin College of Education and UTHealth School of Public Health in Brownsville. It is co-led by Dr. Pablo Montero-Zamora at UT Austin College of Education and Dr. Emily D. Lemon at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Brownsville. Using geospatial methods that map valley health needs and assets and qualitative methods to solicit perspectives among community leaders and settled Latin American immigrants in the Valley, this mixed-methods needs assessment will lead to new community partnerships and research questions for future pilot studies.
The study aims to understand the health conditions of Hispanic/Latinx immigrants and migrants (i.e., im/migrants) in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) region. The overarching goal is to identify research gaps, establish sustainable partnerships, and generate insights for subsequent pilot studies and community-driven interventions within the RGV region, contributing to an enhanced understanding of im/migrant health dynamics in the RGV. This research is the first stage of a formal collaboration between UT Austin College of Education and UTHealth School of Public Health in Brownsville. It is co-led by Dr. Pablo Montero-Zamora at UT Austin College of Education and Dr. Emily D. Lemon at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Brownsville. Using geospatial methods that map valley health needs and assets and qualitative methods to solicit perspectives among community leaders and settled Latin American immigrants in the Valley, this mixed-methods needs assessment will lead to new community partnerships and research questions for future pilot studies.
NIH-NIAAA R34AA032397: Parent-Focused Alcohol Prevention Program for Hispanic Families in Faith-Based Settings
Contextual factors, such as immigration policies, cultural and access-related challenges, and inadequate health insurance coverage among Hispanic populations in the US, have limited their access to prevention services and healthcare. Consequently, persistent differences in alcohol-related outcomes, including underage drinking, exist between Hispanic immigrants and non-Hispanic Whites, placing Hispanic immigrant youth, especially those from low-income households, at greater risk of developing alcohol use disorders during adulthood. Disseminating and implementing family-based programs is crucial for preventing and reducing alcohol misuse among Hispanic youth in the US. However, there is a lack of evidence-based alcohol prevention programs designed or adapted for Hispanic families, with limited studies demonstrating their reach, efficacy, feasibility, or maintenance, suggesting that the alcohol prevention needs of US Hispanic families facing elevated risk of alcohol misuse are not being met. In response, implementation scientists have increasingly engaged trusted faith-based organizations as promising avenues for integrating prevention interventions among Hispanic families with limited access to prevention services. Nevertheless, there is still a need to expand the body of evidence to understand faith-based organizations potential for preventing alcohol misuse among US Hispanic families. Guided by multiple implementation frameworks, the current R34 study will refine and test an existing Mexican adaptation of the alcohol-focused parenting program Guiding Good Choices, under the name Guiando Buenas Decisiones (GBD), to reduce alcohol use among Hispanic immigrant families in the US. We will implement the GBD program through a local faith-based organization because such settings have well-established structures for reaching Hispanic families with limited access to alcohol prevention programs. Our research partnership brings together a well-established faith-based organization serving Hispanic families in Texas, and a study team with expertise in alcohol prevention research and implementation science. The research aims of our R34 exploratory and feasibility study are to (a) refine the GBD curriculum and conduct a small-scale pilot study to optimize the programs relevance and acceptability for participating families, as well as study procedures, before conducting a prevention randomized controlled trial; (b) implement a randomized controlled trial to empirically test the efficacy of the GBD program in reducing youth alcohol initiation and use among low-income Hispanic immigrants in Travis County; (c) identify organizational- and participant-level determinants of GBD implementation through faith-based organizations; and (d) assess relevant implementation outcomes to inform a future R01 effectiveness trial. This study aligns with NIAAA Strategic Plan Goal 3 by developing, evaluating, and implementing family-based interventions to prevent alcohol misuse among populations with limited access to prevention services.
Contextual factors, such as immigration policies, cultural and access-related challenges, and inadequate health insurance coverage among Hispanic populations in the US, have limited their access to prevention services and healthcare. Consequently, persistent differences in alcohol-related outcomes, including underage drinking, exist between Hispanic immigrants and non-Hispanic Whites, placing Hispanic immigrant youth, especially those from low-income households, at greater risk of developing alcohol use disorders during adulthood. Disseminating and implementing family-based programs is crucial for preventing and reducing alcohol misuse among Hispanic youth in the US. However, there is a lack of evidence-based alcohol prevention programs designed or adapted for Hispanic families, with limited studies demonstrating their reach, efficacy, feasibility, or maintenance, suggesting that the alcohol prevention needs of US Hispanic families facing elevated risk of alcohol misuse are not being met. In response, implementation scientists have increasingly engaged trusted faith-based organizations as promising avenues for integrating prevention interventions among Hispanic families with limited access to prevention services. Nevertheless, there is still a need to expand the body of evidence to understand faith-based organizations potential for preventing alcohol misuse among US Hispanic families. Guided by multiple implementation frameworks, the current R34 study will refine and test an existing Mexican adaptation of the alcohol-focused parenting program Guiding Good Choices, under the name Guiando Buenas Decisiones (GBD), to reduce alcohol use among Hispanic immigrant families in the US. We will implement the GBD program through a local faith-based organization because such settings have well-established structures for reaching Hispanic families with limited access to alcohol prevention programs. Our research partnership brings together a well-established faith-based organization serving Hispanic families in Texas, and a study team with expertise in alcohol prevention research and implementation science. The research aims of our R34 exploratory and feasibility study are to (a) refine the GBD curriculum and conduct a small-scale pilot study to optimize the programs relevance and acceptability for participating families, as well as study procedures, before conducting a prevention randomized controlled trial; (b) implement a randomized controlled trial to empirically test the efficacy of the GBD program in reducing youth alcohol initiation and use among low-income Hispanic immigrants in Travis County; (c) identify organizational- and participant-level determinants of GBD implementation through faith-based organizations; and (d) assess relevant implementation outcomes to inform a future R01 effectiveness trial. This study aligns with NIAAA Strategic Plan Goal 3 by developing, evaluating, and implementing family-based interventions to prevent alcohol misuse among populations with limited access to prevention services.
International Collaborative Prevention Research Award, Society for Prevention Research (2023)
Early Career Prevention Scientist Training and Mentoring Program, Society for Prevention Research (2023)
Abstract of Distinction, Society for Prevention Research (2022)
Award of Academic Merit, Graduate School, University of Miami (2021)
Provost's Early Career Postdoctoral Fellowship, College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin (2021)
Provost's Early Career Postdoctoral Fellowship, College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin (2021)
Award of Academic Merit (Mención Honorífica), School of Public Health, National Institute of Public Health of México (2016)
Fellow of the Mixed Scholarships for International Research, National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (2016)
The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Workshop Fellow, Inter-American Development Bank (2015)
Fellow of the Incentive Fund for Graduate Studies Scholarships, National Council for Scientific and Technological Research of Costa Rica (2014)
Andrea M Lopez Soto (Supervisor)
Esme Ramirez (Supervisor)
| Year | Semester | Course |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Spring | HED 365: Socl Dtrmnts Hlth/Disparity |
| 2026 | Spring | HED 395: Implementation Science |
| 2025 | Fall | HED 365: Socl Dtrmnts Hlth/Disparity |
| 2025 | Fall | HED 386: 2-Rsch Meth: Applied Rsch Tech |
| 2024 | Fall | HED 365: Socl Dtrmnts Hlth/Disparity |
| 2024 | Fall | HED 386: 2-Rsch Meth: Applied Rsch Tech |
| 2024 | Spring | HED 196: Doctoral Seminar |
| 2023 | Fall | HED 386: 2-Rsch Meth: Applied Rsch Tech |
| 2023 | Fall | HED 196: Doctoral Seminar |
Center for Research to Community Impact
Faculty affiliate and former Postdoctoral Fellow
CHeRISh Lab
Director
