Tracy M. Scull, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist
She/Her/Hers
![Scull_388x388 Tracy Scull](https://irtinc.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Scull_388x388-300x300.jpg)
OVERVIEW
Dr. Scull is a Senior Research Scientist at iRT and holds a doctorate in Developmental Psychology from Duke University. She conducts basic and applied research related to child, adolescent, and family health, with a specific focus on understanding media influence on sexual health, relationships, and substance misuse. Dr. Scull has secured over 10 million dollars in federal funding for her research and has published in esteemed peer-reviewed journals such as Pediatrics, Developmental Psychology, and the Journal of American College Health. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, trying to keep up her French skills by listening to podcasts, and bingeing British TV shows.
BACKGROUND
Ph.D., 2004, Developmental Psychology, Duke University
M.A., 2001, Developmental Psychology, Duke University
B.A., 1998, (with College Honors), Psychology (minor French), Carnegie Mellon University
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., 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., 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., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Weatherholt, T. N. (2017). The effectiveness of online, family-based media literacy education for substance abuse prevention in elementary school children: Study of the Media Detective Family Program. Journal of Community Psychology, 45(6), 796-809. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.21893
Elmore, K., Scull, T. M., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2017). Media as a “super peer”: How adolescents interpret media messages predicts their perceptions of alcohol and tobacco use norms. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 46, 376-387. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0609-9
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., Ortiz, R., Shafer, A., Brown, J., Kupersmidt, J .B., & Suellentrop, K. (2015). Investigating how MTV’s 16 & Pregnant may be used as media literacy education with high-risk adolescents. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 7(2), 1-11. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle/vol7/iss2/1/
Parker, A. E., Kupersmidt, J. B., Mathis, E. T., Scull, T. M., Sims, C. (2014). The impact of mindfulness education on elementary school students: Evaluation of the Master Mind program. Advances in School Mental Health, 7(3), 184-204. http://doi.org/10.1080/1754730X.2014.916497
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.
Scull, T. M., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Erausquin, J. T. (2013). The impact of media-related cognitions on children’s substance use outcomes in the context of parental and peer substance use. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 43(5), 717-728. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-013-0012-8
Kupersmidt, J. B., Scull, T. M., & Benson, J. W. (2012). Improving media message interpretation processing skills to promote healthy decision making about substance use: The effects of the middle school Media Ready curriculum. Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives, 17(5), 546-563. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2011.635769
Scull, T. M. & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2011). An evaluation of a media literacy program training workshop for late elementary school teachers. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 2(3). 199-208.
Kupersmidt, J. B., Scull, T. M., & Austin, E. A. (2010). Media literacy education for elementary school substance use prevention: Randomized efficacy study of Media Detective. Pediatrics, 126(3), 525-531. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-0068
Scull, T. M., Kupersmidt, J. B., Parker, A. E., Elmore, K. C., & Benson, J. W. (2010). Media-related cognitions and adolescent substance use in the context of parental and peer influences. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39, 981-998. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-009-9455-3
Barrett, T. M., Traupman, E., & Needham, A. (2008). Infants’ visual anticipation of object structure in grasp planning. Infant Behavior & Development, 31(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2007.05.004
Barrett, T. M. & Needham, A. (2008). Developmental differences in infants’ use of an object’s shape to grasp it securely. Developmental Psychobiology, 50, 97-106. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.20280
Barrett, T. M., Davis, E. F., & Needham, A. (2007). Learning about tools in infancy. Developmental Psychology, 43(2), 352-368. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.43.2.352
Lewis, M. A., Kalinowski, C. T., Sterba, K. R., Barrett, T. M., & DeVellis, R. F. (2006). Interpersonal processes and vasculitis management. Arthritis Care & Research, 55(4), 670-675. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.22092
Needham, A., Barrett, T., & Peterman, K. (2002). A pick-me-up for infants’ exploratory skills: Early simulated experiences reaching for objects using ‘sticky mittens’ enhances young infants’ object exploration skills. Infant Behavior and Development, 25(3), 279-295. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0163-6383(02)00097-8
PRESENTATIONS
Invited Talks
Scull, T. M. (2019, December). Media Aware: An innovative, engaging, and effective approach to sexual health promotion for young adults. Presentation at the 5th annual Let’s End Campus Sexual Assault; Eastern Michigan University.
Scull, T. M. (2019, August). Media Detective: A creative approach to substance use prevention in elementary school. Presentation for the NC 21st Century Community Learning Centers Summer Institute, Guilford Tech Community College in Jamestown, NC.
Scull, T. M. (2017, June). The birds, the bees, and Kim Kardashian: Navigating sex and media with adolescents. Presentation for the NC School Health Training Center, Greenville, NC.
Scull, T. M. (2014). Challenges and strategies for evaluating prevention programming in rural areas. Presentation at the 16th Annual NIH SBIR/STTR Conference, Albuquerque, NM.
Scull, T. M. (2013). Media Ready Teacher Training Workshop. Presented to members of the Substance Free Youth (SFY) Community Coalition, Vancouver, WA.
Scull, T. M. (2012). Substance Abuse Prevention and Media Literacy Education. Workshop presented to the North Carolina Collaborative for Children, Youth, and Families, Chapel Hill, NC.
Scull, T. M. (2010). Media literacy for substance abuse prevention. Two-day training workshop presented to the North Carolina Summer School for Alcohol and Drug Studies, Wilmington, NC.
Scull, T. M. (2010). Media Ready Teacher Training Workshop. Presented to the Love, Faith, and Hope Coalition, Texarkana, AR.
Scull, T. M. (2009). Media Detective: A new NIDA-funded media literacy substance abuse prevention program. Workshop presented at the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America’s Mid-Year Training Institute: Louisville, KY.
Barrett, T. M. & Kupersmidt, J. B. (February, 2008). Media literacy, substance abuse prevention programs for middle school students. Workshop presented at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Safe, Orderly, & Caring Schools Conference, Greensboro, NC.
Kupersmidt, J. B. & Barrett, T. M. (November, 2007). Media literacy substance abuse prevention programs for elementary and middle school-aged youth. Talk presented to the Prevention Team of the North Carolina Department of Mental Health Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services.
Wilson, J., Dawes, D., Markovits, L., Stern, R., Barrett, T. M., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (August 2006). Media literacy workshop: Media literacy and its role in preventing underage drinking. Presentation to the North Carolina Task Force, Raleigh, NC.
Posters and Conference Papers
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., Kupersmidt, J.B., & Keefe, E. (2016, October). A web-based media literacy education sexual health program for older adolescents. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Child Development Special Topics Meeting: Technology and Media in Children’s Development, Irvine, CA.
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. & Kupersmidt, J.B., & Weatherholt, T. (2016, May). Reducing health disparities in rural communities through an interactive, web-based family media literacy education program for substance abuse prevention. Poster presented at the Society for Prevention Research, San Francisco, CA.
Parker, A.E., Kupersmidt, J.B., & Scull, T. M. (2016, May). Integrating mindfulness education in into the elementary school classroom. 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.
Elmore, K., Scull, T.M., & Kupersmidt, J.B. (2016, March). Media as ‘Super Peer’: How adolescents interpret media messages predicts their perception of alcohol and tobacco use norms. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Adolescents Biennial Meeting, Baltimore, MD.
Scull, T.M., Malik, C.M., & 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, Greensboro, NC.
Kupersmidt, J.B., Weatherholt, T., & Scull, T.M. (2014, September). Substance abuse prevention and media literacy education. Workshop presented at National Prevention Network Conference, Hartford, CT.
Kupersmidt, J.B. & Scull, T.M. (2014, April). An evaluation of Media Aware, a media literacy education substance abuse prevention program for high school students. Poster presented at The School District of Philadelphia’s Research, Policy, and Practice (R2P) Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
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.
Kupersmidt, J. B. & Scull, T. M. (2013). An evaluation of the effectiveness of media literacy education for substance abuse prevention in high school students. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Prevention Research, San Francisco, CA.
Parker, A. E., Kupersmidt, J. B., Mathis, E. T., Scull, T. M., & Sims, C. (April, 2012). Preliminary investigation of a mindfulness education, substance abuse prevention program for elementary school children. Poster presented at the International Symposia for Contemplative Studies, Denver, CO.
Scull, T.M. & Kupersmidt, J.B. (2011). Children’s media-related and substance use cognitions in the context of parental and peer influences. Poster presented at the Conference of the Society for Prevention Research: Washington, DC.
Ortiz, R., Scull, T., Brown, J.D., Shafer, A., Kupersmidt, J., & Suellentrop, K. (May 2011). 16 and pregnant: The effects of watching and discussing a reality television drama about the consequences of teen pregnancy. Health Communication Division, International Communication Association Conference, Boston, MA.
Shafer, A., Ortiz, R.R., Scull, T.M., Kupersmidt, J.B., & Brown, J.D. (March 2011). At-risk adolescents’ media diets and outcome expectancies influence intentions to refrain from sex and to avoid pregnancy. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Child Development, Montreal, Canada.
Scull, T.M., Kupersmidt, J.B., & Voegler-Lee, M.E. (2009). Everyday positive learning activities and mothers’ emotional functioning in relation to preschool outcomes: A preliminary analysis. Poster presented at the Biennial Conference of the Society of Research in Child Development: Denver, CO.
Scull, T. M., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2008). Media Detective: A new evidence-based, elementary school, media literacy, substance abuse prevention program. Paper presented at the 21st Annual National Prevention Network Prevention Research Conference, Indianapolis, IN.
Kupersmidt, J. B. & Scull, T. M. (2008). Media Ready: A new evidence-based, middle school, media literacy, substance abuse prevention program. Paper presented at the 21st Annual National Prevention Network Prevention Research Conference, Indianapolis, IN.
Barrett, T. M., Kupersmidt, J. B., Benson, J.W., & Elmore, K.C. (2008). Exploration of mediators and moderators of a media literacy, substance abuse prevention program for middle school students. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence Conference, Chicago, IL.
Barrett, T. M., Kupersmidt, J.B., Elmore, K.C., & Benson, J.W. (2008). Further exploration of media influence on adolescents’ moral beliefs and intentions surrounding substance use. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence Conference, Chicago, IL.
Parker, A., Barrett, T. M., Parker, J.G., Kupersmidt, J.B., Stelter, R.L., & Parker, K. (2008). Adolescent characteristics and parental protective behaviors surrounding alcohol use in high- and low-risk environments. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence Conference, Chicago, IL.
Barrett, T. M., Kupersmidt, J. B., Benson, J.W., & Elmore, K.C. (2007). Evaluation of the North Carolina middle school, media literacy, substance abuse prevention project. Poster presented at the first Research Summit of the Alliance for a Media Literate America, St. Louis, MO.
Kupersmidt, J. B., Barrett, T. M., Elmore, K.C., & Benson, J.W. (2007). Preliminary Findings from the Evaluation of the Elementary Media Literacy, Substance Abuse Prevention Project. Paper presented at the first Research Summit of the Alliance for a Media Literate America, St. Louis, MO.
SPONSORED PROJECTS
Federal Grants and Contracts
Current
Completed
HONORS & AWARDS
Ad Hoc Journal Reviewer
Preventive Medicine
American Journal of Sexuality Education
Journal of American College Health
Journal of Health Communication
Journal of Adolescence
Journal of Adolescent Health
Journal of Primary Prevention
Journal of Technology in Human Services
Child Development
Pediatrics
Ad Hoc Grant Reviewer
2021 NICHD/NIH Special Emphasis Panel/Scientific Review Group 2021/05 ZHD1 DSR-N (02)
2020 NIH Psychosocial Development, Risk and Prevention Grant Study Section (PDRP)
2017 NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant Study Section
(HIV/AIDS Innovative Research Applications ZRG1 AARR-G 10)
2016 NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant Study Section
(HIV/AIDS Innovative Research Applications ZRG1 AARR-G 10)
2015 NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant Study Section
(Behavioral and Social Consequences of HIV/AIDS SRG ZRG1 BSCH)
2011 NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant Study Section
(Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes ZRG1 BBBP-V 10)