Focus Area News Post Archives

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

Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Plan to Avoid Driving High

Elizabeth Porter2024-09-27T20:09:42+00:00

September 27, 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: Plan to Avoid Driving HighElizabeth Porter2024-09-27T20:09:42+00:00

iRT’s research on media literacy and adolescent sexual health is highlighted in a chapter in the forthcoming book, Teens, Sex, and Media Effects

Elizabeth Porter2024-09-27T19:57:51+00:00

September 27, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT’s researchers have a wealth of expertise in media literacy education and sexual health research. Teens, Sex, and Media Effects: Understanding Media’s Influence on Adolescent Sexuality, Sexual Health, and Advocacy, the soon-to-be-released book compiling original research related to adolescent sexual health and sexual media, will showcase some of iRT’s work. Drs. Christina Dodson and Tracy Scull authored a chapter for the book highlighting over a decade of iRT’s research on sexual health and media literacy education in a chapter entitled “Media Literacy Education for Comprehensive Sexual Health Promotion.” Chapters of Teens, Sex, and Media Effects [...]

iRT’s research on media literacy and adolescent sexual health is highlighted in a chapter in the forthcoming book, Teens, Sex, and Media EffectsElizabeth Porter2024-09-27T19:57:51+00:00

Is Evolving Automotive Technology Helping or Hurting Young Drivers?

Elizabeth Porter2024-09-27T19:36:28+00:00

September 27, 2024, Durham, NC – Automotive technology is evolving more quickly today than ever before. In the 2020s alone, major innovations have been made in automotive connectivity, electrification, and self-driving and driver assistance features to increase convenience and comfort for drivers. In addition, many new automotive technologies show promise for improving driver and passenger safety. Driver assistance features such as lane assist, automatic emergency braking, blind spot alerting, and 360-degree external cameras may be able to help drivers prevent vehicle accidents and increase drivers’ awareness of their surroundings. Young drivers are at high risk for unsafe driving behaviors, such as [...]

Is Evolving Automotive Technology Helping or Hurting Young Drivers?Elizabeth Porter2024-09-27T19:36:28+00:00

Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Refuse to Drink and Drive

Elizabeth Porter2024-08-09T17:32:20+00:00

August 09, 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: Refuse to Drink and DriveElizabeth Porter2024-08-09T17:32:20+00:00

Recent Research on the Sexual Health Outcomes of Community College Students with Respect to Gender and Sexual Identity

Elizabeth Porter2024-08-07T22:06:18+00:00

August 07, 2024, Durham, NC – The Journal of American College Health recently published important findings from iRT’s sexual health research with community college students. The article, entitled “An examination of the sexual health behaviors and cognitions of young U.S. community college students with respect to the intersection of gender and sexual identity,” was authored by iRT Research Scientists Drs. Reina Evans-Paulson, Tracy Scull, Katie Stump, and Christina Dodson, as well as former iRT researcher Megan Armstrong. College students are at risk for negative sexual health outcomes, including high risk of STIs and unintended pregnancy. While a wealth of research explores [...]

Recent Research on the Sexual Health Outcomes of Community College Students with Respect to Gender and Sexual IdentityElizabeth Porter2024-08-07T22:06:18+00:00

iRT Researchers Utilize Their Expertise in the Facial Action Coding System

Elizabeth Porter2024-07-11T18:52:05+00:00

July 11, 2024, Durham, NC – Social-emotional skills are essential to the development of healthy social behavior. Being able to identify and understand one’s own and another’s feelings, as well as regulate one’s positive and negative emotions, is related to positive peer interactions and school achievement. iRT has created several manualized, evidenced-based intervention programs for children and adolescents that focus on improving social-emotional abilities for delivery in elementary, middle, high, or afterschool settings. Consistent with our mission to promote social and emotional well-being in children, adolescents, and adults, iRT’s researchers have expanded their expertise using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS). FACS [...]

iRT Researchers Utilize Their Expertise in the Facial Action Coding SystemElizabeth Porter2024-07-11T18:52:05+00:00

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

Elizabeth Porter2024-07-10T16:55:06+00:00

July 09, 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 [...]

Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Avoiding Distracted DrivingElizabeth Porter2024-07-10T16:55:06+00:00

iRT’s Recent Research Examines How Sex Education Affects the Way College Students Think About Sex and Relationships

Elizabeth Porter2024-06-17T20:34:51+00:00

June 17, 2024, Durham, NC – Over the past few years, iRT researchers have been conducting the Community College Health Study to learn more about how to promote the sexual and relationship health of community college students. Over 1,500 students and 50 faculty, staff, and administrators from community colleges across the United States are participating in the Community College Health Study. Findings from the study are being used to examine sexual health programming to enhance student health and prevent sexual assault, as well as to help community college personnel find ways to promote the well-being of their students. As part of [...]

iRT’s Recent Research Examines How Sex Education Affects the Way College Students Think About Sex and RelationshipsElizabeth Porter2024-06-17T20:34:51+00:00

Oklahoma Mentoring Programs Implement Mentoring Central’s Mentor Trainings

Elizabeth Porter2024-06-24T14:08:16+00:00

June 24, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is excited to announce that it is collaborating with the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) and the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY) to implement and evaluate Mentoring Central’s training programs and mentoring resources in mentoring programs across Oklahoma. Mentoring Central, a division of iRT, is dedicated to providing mentoring programs with trainings and tools to enhance their programs and help matches achieve better outcomes. Receiving feedback from and working closely with mentoring programs across the nation that have unique goals and serve diverse subpopulations of youth is an integral part of achieving [...]

Oklahoma Mentoring Programs Implement Mentoring Central’s Mentor TrainingsElizabeth Porter2024-06-24T14:08:16+00:00