Focus Area News Post

iRT Publishes New Research on Parent-Gender Differences in Sexual Health Communication

IRT Inc2023-01-11T19:46:30+00:00

July 14, 2021, Durham, NC- Decades of research point to parents having a major influence on their child’s sexual health. High quality parent-child communication has been repeatedly shown to reduce adverse sexual health outcomes. Despite the critical role of parents, research on parent-adolescent sexual health communication (SHC) overwhelming focuses on mothers with little known about the role of fathers. Furthermore, research on SHC is typically conducted with either parents or adolescents, but not on both simultaneously. New research from iRT scientists investigates both of these blind spots. Authors Scull, Carl, Keefe, and Malik published the results of this research in a [...]

iRT Publishes New Research on Parent-Gender Differences in Sexual Health CommunicationIRT Inc2023-01-11T19:46:30+00:00

Welcome Summer 2021 Graduate Student Interns

IRT Inc2023-01-11T19:48:01+00:00

May 26, 2021, Durham, NC - innovation Research & Training welcomes two new graduate student interns this summer. The interns will contribute their expertise to our projects on educating teens about participating in a research project and STEM . “We are delighted to welcome Yontii and Kathryn,” said Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, the President of iRT. “Their exceptional experience, unique perspectives, and academic prowess will enrich our work on these federally funded projects, as well as the products being developed through these awards.” The Graduate Student Interns Yontii Wheeler is pursuing her Master of Public Health with a Health Equity, Social Justice, [...]

Welcome Summer 2021 Graduate Student InternsIRT Inc2023-01-11T19:48:01+00:00

New Study from iRT Finds Web-Based Media Literacy Program an Effective Vehicle for High School Sex Ed

IRT Inc2023-01-11T19:38:12+00:00

May 14, 2021, Durham, NC - Web-based media literacy education was found to be an effective way to promote sexual health and critical media analysis in high school students, according to a new randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives. The findings were reported by innovation Research & Training (iRT), a behavioral sciences research company. Decades of research have shown that school-based, comprehensive sex education is an effective way to improve adolescent sexual health. However, yesterday’s programs don’t necessarily work today; with the pervasiveness of smartphones and online social networks, adolescents’ constant access to media means [...]

New Study from iRT Finds Web-Based Media Literacy Program an Effective Vehicle for High School Sex EdIRT Inc2023-01-11T19:38:12+00:00

Dr. Stelter Appointed to the MENTOR NC Board of Directors

IRT Inc2023-01-11T19:54:30+00:00

May 5, 2021, Durham, NC - innovation Research & Training is pleased to announce Dr. Rebecca Stelter’s appointment to the MENTOR NC Board of Directors. MENTOR NC is a non-profit organization that is a state affiliate of MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership that is “dedicated to increasing the number of youth in quality mentoring relationships across North Carolina while working to address the systemic barriers that young people face on a daily basis.” MENTOR NC works primarily in three core areas to advance the local mentoring movement; increasing mentoring program capacity, increasing local engagement, and providing expertise and raising awareness about mentoring. [...]

Dr. Stelter Appointed to the MENTOR NC Board of DirectorsIRT Inc2023-01-11T19:54:30+00:00

Dr. Scull Appointed to Center for Scientific Review Study Section

IRT Inc2021-05-03T13:25:07+00:00

Durham, NC, May 2, 2021 – The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Scientific Review (CSR) has selected Dr. Tracy Scull, Senior Research Scientist at innovation Research & Training, for her demonstrated achievement and competence to serve as a member of the Psychosocial Development, Risk and Prevention (PDRP) Study Section for a four-year term, beginning this July. The CSR is responsible for organizing the peer review groups and study sections that evaluate most of the research grant applications sent to NIH. It works to execute fair, independent, expert, and timely scientific reviews for NIH grant applications. “I am honored to [...]

Dr. Scull Appointed to Center for Scientific Review Study SectionIRT Inc2021-05-03T13:25:07+00:00

Dr. Parker Appointed to NCFASD Informed Board of Directors

IRT Inc2021-04-22T20:11:26+00:00

Durham, NC, March 25, 2021 - innovation Research & Training is ecstatic to announce Dr. Alison Parker’s appointment to the NCFASD Informed Board of Directors. NCFASD Informed is a non-profit organization of all volunteers with the mission “to create FASD informed communities to empower individuals impacted by prenatal exposure to alcohol.” The organization is dedicated to raising awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in the community; this awareness may lead to an increase in the number of diagnostic opportunities for individuals with FASD as well as support and resources for individuals and their families. Dr. Parker is a Research Scientist [...]

Dr. Parker Appointed to NCFASD Informed Board of DirectorsIRT Inc2021-04-22T20:11:26+00:00

iRT’s New Online Youth Safety Programs for Remote Learning

IRT Inc2022-06-29T16:57:53+00:00

Durham, NC, March 24, 2021 - The vast majority of colleges (96%) offer some portion of their education online [1] and in 2020, 50 million K-12 students were forced to learn remotely [2]. iRT has worked tirelessly to adapt many of our successful programs for the online-learning environment. These are an excellent resource for teachers, mentors, parents, and community groups to make sure their students don’t miss out on important behavioral development. Below are a list of out resources that will work in remote, hybrid, or homeschool learning environments: Impaired driving prevention for high school and college students. Help your students [...]

iRT’s New Online Youth Safety Programs for Remote LearningIRT Inc2022-06-29T16:57:53+00:00

Dr. Stelter Presents at the 2021 Virtual National Mentoring Summit

Richard Van Horn2021-02-16T18:29:05+00:00

Dr. Rebecca Stelter, a Research Scientist II at iRT, will be co-presenting at the virtual 2021 National Mentoring Summit https://www.mentoring.org/national-mentoring-summit/ on Intentional program planning to create a safe (virtual) space for mentees during unprecedented times, on Friday, 1/29/2021, from 2:14 – 3:45 PM. Dr. Stelter and her co-presenter, Darlene H. Marlin, Senior Director at National Urban League, will discuss the National Urban League’s Project Ready: Mentor program. The Project Ready: Mentor provides group mentoring to prepare students for college, work, and life through the development of 21st Century, as well as other critical social skills. The program also has the goal of [...]

Dr. Stelter Presents at the 2021 Virtual National Mentoring SummitRichard Van Horn2021-02-16T18:29:05+00:00

New iRT Parent-Child Communication Program Proven Effective

IRT Inc2023-01-11T21:08:10+00:00

Media Aware Parent – iRT’s new program to help parents talk with their pre-teens and teens about sex, relationships, and media – is an effective way to bolster communication and healthy attitudes in teens, according to an article that was published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence. Media Aware Parent is the latest program in iRT’s Media Aware series, which...

New iRT Parent-Child Communication Program Proven EffectiveIRT Inc2023-01-11T21:08:10+00:00

iRT’s Prevention Central Team Publishes Chapter on Sexual Socialization in the International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy

IRT Inc2023-01-11T21:13:05+00:00

Media literacy education (MLE) is one of the primary strategies used by Prevention Central research teams at iRT to develop innovative, evidence-based programs. Prevention Central scientists are on the forefront of researching the influence of media on adolescents’ sexual attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, and have found that MLE is an effective way to promote adolescent sexual health.

iRT’s Prevention Central Team Publishes Chapter on Sexual Socialization in the International Encyclopedia of Media LiteracyIRT Inc2023-01-11T21:13:05+00:00