Focus Area News Post Archives

New Chapter in Handbook of Children and Screens Discusses How Gender and Sexuality Are Represented in Media for Young People

Elizabeth Porter2024-12-18T18:00:14+00:00

December 18, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientist Dr. Tracy Scull co-authored a chapter in the recently released Handbook of Children and Screens entitled “Representations of Gender and Sexuality in Youth Media.” Dr. Scull co-authored the chapter with colleagues from research institutions from across the world, including Drs. Jennifer Stevens Aubrey, Megan K. Maas, Sophia Choukas-Bradley, Meenakshi Gigi Durham, Johanna M. F. van Oosten, and L. Monique Ward. About the Chapter Children start developing strong concepts of gender identity and gender roles early in life, and they often explore ideas related to sexuality and sexual roles during adolescence. During these developmental stages, young people usually look to many sources [...]

New Chapter in Handbook of Children and Screens Discusses How Gender and Sexuality Are Represented in Media for Young PeopleElizabeth Porter2024-12-18T18:00:14+00:00

Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Practicing Avoiding Distracted Driving

Elizabeth Porter2024-12-17T19:28:19+00:00

December 17, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is dedicated to preventing distracted and impaired driving and helping drivers, prevention professionals, and community members protect themselves and others on the road. Plan My Ride is iRT’s interactive, multimedia, eLearning program developed with and for young drivers to teach safe driving skills to prevent distracted and impaired driving. Unlike other safe driving educational programs, Plan My Ride uses a science-backed and theory-driven approach to change behavior by teaching concrete, practical strategies to avoid impaired and distracted driving, and providing opportunities for young drivers to practice the skills they have learned in 360-degree virtual scenarios. The program is [...]

Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Practicing Avoiding Distracted DrivingElizabeth Porter2024-12-17T19:28:19+00:00

The Journal of American College Health Publishes More Research from the Community College Health Study

Elizabeth Porter2024-12-16T15:05:30+00:00

December 16, 2024, Durham, NC – The Journal of American College Health recently published an article featuring findings from iRT’s research related to sexual and relationship health resources for young adults. The article, entitled “Examining resources to promote sexual health and address sexual violence at community colleges across the United States: a qualitative study,” was authored by iRT Research Scientists Drs. Christina Dodson, Reina Evans-Paulson, and Tracy Scull. Over the past few years, iRT has been conducting the Community College Health Study to better understand how to promote students’ sexual and relationship health and prevent sexual assault. As part of the [...]

The Journal of American College Health Publishes More Research from the Community College Health StudyElizabeth Porter2024-12-16T15:05:30+00:00

iRT to Conduct Research on Parent-Adolescent Decision Making Related to Pediatric Clinical Trials Participation

Elizabeth Porter2024-11-25T15:35:10+00:00

November 25, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce that it has received a grant from the Office Of The Director, National Institutes Of Health (OD) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD) to examine the communication behaviors and experiences of parents and adolescents as they make decisions together about participation in pediatric clinical trials. Low participation rates and poor retention of participants in pediatric clinical trials impedes innovation in child and adolescent medicine. Understanding what factors impact young people’s decisions to participate in clinical trials informs the creation of strategies to [...]

iRT to Conduct Research on Parent-Adolescent Decision Making Related to Pediatric Clinical Trials ParticipationElizabeth Porter2024-11-25T15:35:10+00:00

iRT Receives Funding to Continue Researching the Sexual Health of Community College Students

Elizabeth Porter2024-11-25T15:21:50+00:00

November 25, 2024, Durham, NC – Though community college students make up nearly half of all U.S. undergraduate students, they are often overlooked by sexual and relationship health research. In addition, community college students are less likely to receive sexual health resources, are more likely to experience STIs and unplanned pregnancy, and are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors than four-year college students. To address these gaps in research and better understand how to promote the sexual health of community college students, iRT has been conducting the Community College Health Study for over two years with funding provided by [...]

iRT Receives Funding to Continue Researching the Sexual Health of Community College StudentsElizabeth Porter2024-11-25T15:21:50+00:00

The American Journal of Sexuality Education Publishes iRT’s Research on Sex Education Programs for College Students

Elizabeth Porter2024-11-25T14:59:53+00:00

November 25, 2024, Durham, NC – The American Journal of Sexuality Education recently published an article detailing findings from iRT’s research on comprehensive sex education programs for college students. The article, entitled “Acceptability and Fidelity of a Media Literacy Education-Based, Comprehensive Sexual Health Program for College Students: A Multi-Method Student-Centered Evaluation,” was authored by current and former iRT Researchers Dr. Reina Evans-Paulson, Kylia Ahuna, Dr. Tracy Scull, Dr. Christina Dodson, and Dr. Janis Kupersmidt. College students are at high risk for engaging in risky sexual behaviors, such as unprotected sex and poor communication with partners. Providing high-quality comprehensive sex education is [...]

The American Journal of Sexuality Education Publishes iRT’s Research on Sex Education Programs for College StudentsElizabeth Porter2024-11-25T14:59:53+00:00

Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Communicate to Stay Safe

Elizabeth Porter2024-11-25T14:19:20+00:00

November 25, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is dedicated to preventing distracted and impaired driving and helping drivers, prevention professionals, and community members protect themselves and others on the road. Plan My Ride is iRT’s interactive, multimedia, eLearning program developed with and for young drivers to teach safe driving skills to prevent distracted and impaired driving. Unlike other safe driving educational programs, Plan My Ride uses a science-backed and theory-driven approach to change behavior by teaching concrete, practical strategies to avoid impaired and distracted driving, and providing opportunities for young drivers to practice the skills they have learned in 360-degree virtual scenarios. The program [...]

Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Communicate to Stay SafeElizabeth Porter2024-11-25T14:19:20+00:00

Plan My Ride Receives Its Third Award for Accessibility and Innovation

Elizabeth Porter2024-10-15T19:52:17+00:00

October 15, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is excited to announce that the Plan My Ride program has received an Award of Excellence from Brandon Hall Group for its use of interactive features that provide accessibility for young people with disabilities. Plan My Ride is an eLearning course that can be delivered remotely or in conjunction with an in-person, instructor-led class with the ultimate goal of improving new drivers’ attitudes and perceived norms about impaired driving, self-efficacy to avoid distracted or impaired driving, and intentions to drive safely. Young people who participate in the Plan My Ride program complete interactive learning activities, videos, [...]

Plan My Ride Receives Its Third Award for Accessibility and InnovationElizabeth Porter2024-10-15T19:52:17+00:00

Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Prevent Opioid Use and Driving

Elizabeth Porter2024-10-15T19:21:44+00:00

October 15, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is dedicated to preventing distracted and impaired driving and helping drivers, prevention professionals, and community members protect themselves and others on the road. Plan My Ride is iRT’s interactive, multimedia, eLearning program developed with and for young drivers to teach safe driving skills to prevent distracted and impaired driving. Unlike other safe driving educational programs, Plan My Ride uses a science-backed and theory-driven approach to change behavior by teaching concrete, practical strategies to avoid impaired and distracted driving, and providing opportunities for young drivers to practice the skills they have learned in 360-degree virtual scenarios. The program [...]

Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Prevent Opioid Use and DrivingElizabeth Porter2024-10-15T19:21:44+00:00

iRT Researcher Offers Workshops to Empower Parents to Practice Media Literacy Strategies with Their Children

Elizabeth Porter2024-10-07T15:46:38+00:00

October 07, 2024, Durham, NC – Research has shown that tweens and teens make healthier decisions when their parents have high-quality conversations with them about sex, puberty, relationships, sexual violence, gender stereotypes, and substance use. However, parents sometimes avoid having conversations with their children about these topics because they find it overwhelming or uncomfortable. In addition, parents may not know how to begin these conversations or what they should be talking with their child about. Many parents feel concerned about how consistent media exposure in the digital age may be impacting their children, including how it may be impacting their thoughts [...]

iRT Researcher Offers Workshops to Empower Parents to Practice Media Literacy Strategies with Their ChildrenElizabeth Porter2024-10-07T15:46:38+00:00