Christina Dodson, Ph.D.

Research Scientist
She/Her/Hers

IRT About Us Profile

OVERVIEW

Dr. Dodson is a Research Scientist at iRT, who received her doctorate in Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on the influence of media on health-related attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors and the role of critical media analysis in the processing of media messages. She has worked on the development and evaluation of the Media Aware Sexual Health programs, which use media literacy education (MLE) to promote sexual and relationship health among adolescents and young adults. She is also Co-Investigator on a project to develop and evaluate Media Aware Parent, a web-based MLE program designed to enhance parent-teen communication about sexual health. Her work has been published in academic journals and presented at national and international conferences. Christina also has over 12 years of professional experience in advertising and consumer research. Dr. Dodson lives in Chapel Hill, NC, with her husband, three young children, and one dog. She enjoys traveling with her family, singing along to Broadway shows, and going on adventures big and small.

BACKGROUND

Ph.D., 2011, Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M.A., 2004, Communication Management, University of Southern California
B.S., 2000, Communication, Ithaca College

PUBLICATIONS

Scull, T. M., Malik, C. V., & Keefe, E. M. (2020). Determining the feasibility of an online, media mediation program for parents to improve parent-child sexual health communication. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 12(1), 13-25. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2020-12-1-2

Elmore, K. C., Scull, T. M., Malik, C. V., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2020). Rape myth acceptance reflects perceptions of media portrayals as similar to others, but not the self. Violence Against Women. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801220908335

Scull, T. M., Malik, C. V., Morrison, A., & Keefe, E. (2020). Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial to evaluate a web-based comprehensive sexual health and media literacy education program for high school students. Trials, 21(1), 50. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1549554

Scull, T. M., Keefe, E. M., Kafka, J. M., Malik, C. V., Kupersmidt, J. B. (2020). The understudied half of undergraduates: Risky sexual behaviors among community college students. Journal of American College Health, 68(3), 302-312. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1549554

Scull, T. M. & Malik, C. V., Keefe, E. M., & Schoemann, A. (2019). Evaluating the short-term impact of Media Aware Parent, a web-based program for parents with the goal of adolescent sexual health promotion. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48, 1686-1706. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-019-01077-0

Scull, T. M. & Malik, C. V. (June, 2019). Entertainment media and sexual socialization. In The International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy. Editors: Hobbs, R. and Mihailidis, P. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Scull, T. M., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Malik, C. V. (2018). Using media literacy education for adolescent sexual health promotion in middle school: Randomized controlled trial of Media Aware. Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives, 23(12), 1051-1063. http://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2018.1548669

Scull, T. M., Kupersmidt, J. B., Malik, C. V., & Keefe, E. (2018). Examining the effectiveness of mHealth media literacy education for sexual health promotion in older adolescents attending community college. Journal of American College Health, 66(3), 165-177. http://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2017.1393822

Scull, T. M., Malik, C. V., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2018). Understanding the unique role of media message processing in predicting adolescent sexual behavior intentions in the United States. Journal of Children and Media, 12(3), 258-274. http://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2017.1403937

Scull, T. M., Malik, C. V., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Moallem, M. (2016). Rethinking sexuality education: A web-based solution. In Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2016 (pp. 2344-2348). Chesapeake, VA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).

Scull, T. M., Malik, C. V., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2014). A media literacy education approach to teaching adolescents sexual health education. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 6(1), 1-14.

Malik, C.V., & Wojdynski, B. W. (2014). Boys earn, girls buy: Depictions of materialism on US children’s branded-entertainment websites. Journal of Children and Media, 8(4), 404-422. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2013.852986

PRESENTATIONS

Malik, C.V., Scull, T.M. (2019, Oct.). Media Literacy Education: An Innovative, Engaging, and Effective Approach to Sexual Health Education. Session to be presented at the American School Health Association (ASHA) Conference: Cincinnati, OH. 

Malik, C.V., Keefe, E., & Morrison, A. (2019, May). Adolescent Sexual Health in the Digital Age: Addressing Consent and Healthy Relationships using a Media Literacy Education Approach Workshop presented at the SHIFT NC Annual Conference: Greensboro, NC.

Scull, T.M., Keefe, E., & Malik, C.V.  (2017, May). The birds, the bees, and Kim Kardashian:  Engaging and equipping parents to navigate sex and media with adolescents. Workshop presented at the SHIFT NC Annual Conference: Greensboro, NC.

Scull, T.M., Malik, C.V., & Keefe, E. (2016, May). Meeting the needs of older adolescents:  Relationship and sexual health promotion using media literacy education. Workshop presented at the SHIFT NC Annual Conference: Durham, NC.

Scull, T.M., Malik, C.V., & Kupersmidt, J.B. (2016, May). The unique influence of media-related cognitions on predictors of adolescent sexual behaviors. Poster presented at the Society for Prevention Research, San Francisco, CA.

Scull, T.M., Malik, C.V., Kupersmidt, J.B., & Moallem, M. (2016, March). Rethinking sexuality education:  A web-based solution. Paper presented at the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education, Savannah, GA.

Scull, T.M., Kupersmidt, J.B., & Malik, C.V. (2016, March). An evaluation of a comprehensive sexual health media literacy education program for middle school students. Paper presented at the Society for Research on Adolescents Biennial Meeting, Baltimore, MD. 

Scull, T.M., Malik, C.V., & Vuong, K. (2015, May).  What’s media got to do with it?  Addressing sexual health misinformation with media literacy education for adolescents.  Workshop presented at the Annual Conference of the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of North Carolina (APPCNC), Greensboro, NC.

Scull, T.M., Malik, C.V., & Kupersmidt, J.B. (2014, March). A media literacy education approach to teaching adolescents comprehensive sexual health education. Presented to the Society for Research on Adolescents Biennial Meeting, Austin, TX. 

Malik, C.V. & Gichane, M. (2014, May). A Media Literacy Approach to Teaching Adolescents Comprehensive Sexual Health Education. Presented at the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina (APPCNC) annual conference, Greensboro, NC.

Malik, C.V. & Kalyanaraman, S. (2013, June). Overcoming Consumer Suspicion of Advocacy Advertising: An Exploration of the Persuasive Effects of Self-brand Connections. Paper presented to the Health Communication Division at the 63nd annual convention of the International Communication Association (ICA), London, England. [Top Faculty Paper Award, Health Communication Division]

Bobkowski, P. & Malik, C.V. (2010, August). The Orchards Church: Branding and Theological Specificity in Church Advertising. Paper presented to the 7th annual International Conference on Media, Religion and Culture, Toronto, Canada.

Malik, C.V.  (2009, August). Growing Up in a Branded World: Revisiting Cultivation Effects in the New, Brand-Driven, Children’s Marketing Environment. Paper presented to the Communication and the Future Interest Division at the 95th annual convention of the National Communication Association (NCA), Chicago, IL.

Malik, C.V. & Wojdynski, B. (2009, August). Living in a Material Web?  Gender and Materialism on Children’s Toy Web Sites. Paper presented to the Mass Communication and Society Division at the 92nd annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), Boston, MA.

Malik. C.V. & Kalyanaraman, S. (2009, August). Portrait of the Brand as an Extension of the Self: Effects of Self-Brand Connections and Argument Strength in Social Marketing. Paper presented to the Advertising Division at the 92nd annual convention of the Association of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), Boston, MA.

Malik. C.V. (2009, August). Beer Belongs: An Analysis of the U.S. Brewers Foundation’s Advertising Campaign to Normalize Beer Consumption in Post-War America. Paper presented to the History Division at the 92nd annual convention of the Association of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Boston (AEJMC), MA.  [A version of this paper was also presented at the annual AJHA-AEJMC Joint Journalism Historians Conference (2009, March), New York, NY.]

Kalyanaraman, S., Ito, K., Ferris, E., & Malik, C.V. (2009, May). Control Ergo Cogito: An Experimental Investigation of the Interactivity-as-Information Control Perspective. Paper presented to the Information Systems Division at the 59th annual convention of the International Communication Association (ICA), Chicago, IL. 

Malik, C.V. (2008, August). COPA’s Last Stand?  Revisiting the Child Online Protection Act Following the 2007 ACLU v. Gonzales Ruling.” Paper presented to the Law and Policy Division at the 91st annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), Chicago, IL.

SPONSORED PROJECTS

Federal Grants and Contracts

Current

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Mechanisms of Media Literacy Education for Promoting Relationship Health in Older Adolescents. R01HD099134. (PI:  Tracy M. Scull) 4/6/2020-3/31/2025. The purpose of this project is to conduct a three-arm randomized control trial with older adolescents (i.e., ages 18-19) attending community college to isolate the effects of media literacy education (i.e., Media Aware program) on sexual and relationship health outcomes and to examine the trajectory of media literacy education effects on sexual and relationship health over time. Role: Co-Investigator.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Web-Based High School Media Literacy for Healthy Relationships. R44HD088254 (PI: Tracy M. Scull) 9/26/2018-5/31/2021. The purpose of this Phase II grant is to complete the development of a self-paced, highly interactive web-based program designed to provide high school-aged youth with comprehensive sexual health education using a media literacy education framework. An RCT will examine the effects of the program on adolescents’ media- and health-related outcomes. Role: Co-Investigator.

Completed

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Parent-Teen Communication to Resist Unhealthy Media Messages. R44HD082968 (PI: Tracy M. Scull) 4/1/2017-7/31/2019. The purpose of this Phase II grant is to finish the development of and evaluate the efficacy of Media Aware Parent, a self-paced program designed to provide parents with media mediation skills, sexual health knowledge, and practice in parent-adolescent communication through a highly interactive web application. Role: Co-Investigator. 

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Web-based High School Media Literacy for Healthy Relationships. R43HD088254 (PI: Tracy M. Scull) 9/26/2016-8/31/2018. The purpose of this Phase I grant was to develop and test the feasibility of a self-paced, highly interactive web-based program designed to provide high school-aged youth with comprehensive sexual health education using a media literacy education framework. Role: Co-Investigator. 

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Parent-Teen Communication to Resist Unhealthy Media Messages.R43HD082968 (PI: Tracy M. Scull) 9/23/2015-9/22/2016. The purpose of this Phase I grant was to develop and test the feasibility of Media Aware Parent, a self-paced program designed to provide parents with media mediation skills, sexual health knowledge, and practice in parent-adolescent communication through a highly interactive web application. Role: Co-Investigator.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Media Literacy for Sexual Health in Older Adolescents. R21DA035665 (PI:  Tracy M. Scull) 9/15/2012-8/31/2016. The purpose of this grant is to develop and test the feasibility of a brief web-based media literacy education intervention to reduce risky sexual practices (e.g., intoxicated sex, unprotected sex, sex with multiple partners, sexual violence) in community college students. Role: Project Director.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Middle School Media Literacy for Reproductive Health – Phase II. R44HD061193 (PI:  Tracy M. Scull) 9/25/2012-7/31/2016. The purpose of this Phase II grant is to develop and evaluate a sexual health media literacy education program for middle school students. Role: Project Director.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Middle School Media Literacy for Reproductive Health – Phase I. R43HD061193 (PI:  Tracy M. Scull) 9/25/2009-4/24/2011. The purpose of this grant is to create a middle school media literacy program for reproductive health focusing on romantic relationships, adolescent pregnancy prevention, and the prevention of STIs. Role: Project Coordinator.

HONORS & AWARDS

Honors 

2007-2010             Roy H. Park Ph.D. Fellowship, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2010                        William Francis Clingman Jr. Ethics Award, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2010                        Margaret Blanchard Dissertation Support Award, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

1999-2000 Mark Wilder Communication Merit Scholarship, Roy H. Park School of  Communications, Ithaca College