Media Literacy News Post Archives

College Students Find New Sexual Health Education Program Relevant and Engaging

Elizabeth Porter2025-03-28T16:38:26+00:00

March 28, 2025, Durham, NC – In a recent study, nearly 40% of community college students reported that they had not received school-based sex education since the ninth grade.1 Gaps in high-school sex education may put students at risk for negative sexual health outcomes as they enter adulthood. Colleges have the opportunity to fill these gaps and address students’ needs by providing high-quality sexual health resources to their students. Media Aware is an online, evidence-based program that was designed to meet the need for sex education for young adults and to promote sexual and relationship health and prevent sexual violence. Media [...]

College Students Find New Sexual Health Education Program Relevant and EngagingElizabeth Porter2025-03-28T16:38:26+00:00

Journal of Health Communication Publishes the Impacts of Media Aware on Young Adults’ Sexual Health Cognitions

Elizabeth Porter2025-01-16T16:08:22+00:00

January 16, 2025, Durham, NC – The Journal of Health Communication recently published an article detailing findings from an evaluation of iRT’s media literacy education-based sexual health promotion program called Media Aware. The article, entitled “A Media Literacy Education Approach to Sexual Health Promotion: Immediate Effects of Media Aware on the Sexual Health Cognitions of Young Adult Community College Students,” was authored by iRT Researchers Dr. Tracy Scull, Dr. Christina Dodson, Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, Dr. Reina Evans-Paulson, Dr. Katie Stump, and Liz Reeder. Media Aware is an interactive, web-based program that provides young adults with comprehensive, medically-accurate information about sex and [...]

Journal of Health Communication Publishes the Impacts of Media Aware on Young Adults’ Sexual Health CognitionsElizabeth Porter2025-01-16T16:08:22+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

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

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

Recent Research Findings on the Previous Sex Education Experiences of Community College Students

Elizabeth Porter2024-02-21T14:38:12+00:00

February 21, 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. The limited amount of research on this population may make it difficult for community colleges to make evidence-based decisions about the types of resources and support they should provide to their students to promote their sexual health. Without accessible resources to learn about and manage their health, community college students may be at risk for unhealthy sexual and relationship behaviors. To address these gaps in research, iRT has been conducting the Community [...]

Recent Research Findings on the Previous Sex Education Experiences of Community College StudentsElizabeth Porter2024-02-21T14:38:12+00:00

Filling the Gaps in High School Sex Education in the United States

Elizabeth Porter2024-01-19T20:24:30+00:00

January 18, 2024, Durham, NC – Providing high-quality, comprehensive sex education to high school students is an important part of supporting healthy sexual development and decision-making in adolescents. During adolescence, youth often begin or continue forming beliefs about sex and relationships, making decisions about their own sexual health and romantic relationships, and developing a healthy sexuality. When equipped with high-quality sexual health resources and knowledge, high school students may be able to make healthier decisions and form healthy beliefs about their sexual health. Research has shown that comprehensive school-based sex education may reduce teenage pregnancy rates and increase safe sex behaviors [...]

Filling the Gaps in High School Sex Education in the United StatesElizabeth Porter2024-01-19T20:24:30+00:00

Addressing the Nationwide Addiction Crisis with Media Literacy Education, Mentoring, Mindfulness, and More

Elizabeth Porter2024-01-21T01:00:53+00:00

January 17, 2024, Durham, NC – The federal government and medical facilities across the United States have made substantial efforts to impede growth of the national opioid crisis, but trends in substance use have evolved in recent years making it increasingly difficult to thwart the addiction crisis. Updates on the decades-long opioid epidemic and prevention efforts have consistently made headlines as millions of Americans have faced opioid use disorders in the last three years. However, as rates of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl use continue to climb, it is vital to spread awareness of the pervasiveness of polysubstance use, in addition to [...]

Addressing the Nationwide Addiction Crisis with Media Literacy Education, Mentoring, Mindfulness, and MoreElizabeth Porter2024-01-21T01:00:53+00:00

iRT Publishes Chapter in Media Literacy and Media Education Research Methods: A Handbook

Elizabeth Porter2023-11-18T02:57:02+00:00

November 17, 2023, Durham, NC – In an increasingly digital world, youth and adults are consistently exposed to a barrage of media messages. Some media messages include false or misleading information that may have a powerful influence on the beliefs and behaviors of consumers, particularly youth and young adults. Media literacy education is a growing, promising approach to helping youth and young adults become more active, rather than passive, consumers of media, so they can protect themselves from the potentially harmful impacts of exposure to misleading media messages on their beliefs and behaviors. Many media literacy education-based programs, such as those [...]

iRT Publishes Chapter in Media Literacy and Media Education Research Methods: A HandbookElizabeth Porter2023-11-18T02:57:02+00:00

iRT to Present at The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality’s Annual Conference

Elizabeth Porter2023-11-15T14:36:53+00:00

October 31, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientists Drs. Christina Dodson and Reina Evans-Paulson will present at the 2023 meeting of The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality’s (SSSS) annual conference in New Orleans, Louisiana this November. Each year, SSSS invites professionals who conduct sexual research, who are interested in issues relating to sexuality, or whose work relates to sexual science to gather for networking opportunities, workshops, symposia, and presentations to share recent findings in sexual research and discuss topics related to sexuality. Dodson and Evans-Paulson will attend this year’s conference, which will be held November 16-19, 2023, to [...]

iRT to Present at The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality’s Annual ConferenceElizabeth Porter2023-11-15T14:36:53+00:00