@article{mccrimmon_widman_javidi_brasileiro_hurst_2023, title={Evaluation of a Brief Online Sexual Health Program for Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial}, volume={4}, ISSN={["1552-6372"]}, DOI={10.1177/15248399231162379}, abstractNote={ Adolescents are at increased risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and experiencing unintended pregnancy. In particular, adolescents from marginalized communities experience significant sexual health disparities compared to their more advantaged peers. Digital sexual health programs, such as HEART ( Health Education and Relationship Training), may be effective in reducing these risks and addressing these disparities. HEART is a web-based intervention focused on the promotion of positive sexual health outcomes, such as sexual decision-making skills, sexual communication skills, sexual health knowledge, and sexual norms and attitudes. The current study evaluates the efficacy of HEART, and examines whether effects were moderated by gender, socioeconomic status (SES), race, English as a second language, and sexual orientation to ensure the program is effective for diverse groups of adolescents. Participants were 457 high school students (Meanage=15.06, 59% girls, 35% White, 78% heterosexual, 54% receive free or reduced-price lunch). Students were randomized to HEART or an attention matched control and assessed at pretest and immediate posttest. HEART was effective in increasing sexual assertiveness, sexual communication intentions, HIV/STI knowledge, condom attitudes, and safer sex self-efficacy compared to the control condition. There were no significant interactions by gender, SES, race, English as a second language, or sexual orientation, suggesting the program worked equally well for all groups of youth. The findings of this study suggest that HEART may be a promising avenue for the promotion of positive sexual health outcomes for diverse groups of youth. }, journal={HEALTH PROMOTION PRACTICE}, author={McCrimmon, Jordyn and Widman, Laura and Javidi, Hannah and Brasileiro, Julia and Hurst, Jeffrey}, year={2023}, month={Apr} }
 @article{hurst_widman_brasileiro_maheux_evans-paulson_choukas-bradley_2023, title={Parents’ attitudes towards the content of sex education in the USA: Associations with religiosity and political orientation}, volume={1}, ISSN={1468-1811 1472-0825}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2022.2162871}, DOI={10.1080/14681811.2022.2162871}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT While most parents support their adolescents receiving school-based sex education, there is variability in which sex education topics receive the most support from parents. Conservative political orientation and greater religiosity have been independently associated with parents’ lack of support for school-based sex education; however, no studies have examined the intersection of these two factors. The three goals of this study were to: 1) identify how specific sexual education topics cluster together to form content areas; 2) examine if religiosity and political orientation are uniquely associated with these content areas; and 3) examine if political orientation moderates the relationship between parents’ religiosity and their perceived importance for the specific sex education content areas. Participants were a national sample of 881 US parents. The sex education topics clustered into three content areas: Factual Knowledge (e.g., STI transmission), Practical Skills (e.g., how to access condoms), and Pleasure and Identity (e.g., pleasurable aspects of sex). Politically conservative and more religious parents reported the lowest perceived importance for each content area. Importantly, these main effects were qualified by a significant interaction: parents who reported both political conservativism and high levels of religiosity reported the lowest perceived importance for these three content areas being taught.}, journal={Sex Education}, publisher={Informa UK Limited}, author={Hurst, Jeffrey L. and Widman, Laura and Brasileiro, Julia and Maheux, Anne J. and Evans-Paulson, Reina and Choukas-Bradley, Sophia}, year={2023}, month={Jan}, pages={1–17} }
 @article{maheux_widman_hurst_craig_evans-paulson_choukas-bradley_2022, title={Behavioral Measures to Assess Adolescent Sexual Communication with Partners: A Scoping Review and Call for Further Studies}, volume={60}, ISSN={0022-4499 1559-8519}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2022.2103072}, DOI={10.1080/00224499.2022.2103072}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT Sexual communication with partners is important for adolescents’ sexual and socioemotional well-being. Behavioral assessments of partner sexual communication capture the complex and nuanced process of communication and are commonly used with adults, yet the existing literature among adolescents overwhelmingly relies on self-report measures. In the current paper, we reviewed the literature on adolescent partner sexual communication, identifying 14 studies including 2,043 participants (M age = 16) that used behavioral assessments (i.e., dyadic observations, role-plays with confederates, role-plays with vignettes). We also identify key gaps in the current literature: First, only one study recruited couples; studies that assessed dyadic interactions largely relied on confederates. Second, assessments often assumed that participants engaged in heterosexual sex, and no studies specifically recruited LGBTQ+ adolescents. Third, behavioral tasks often involved assumptions of participants’ sexual goals (e.g., desire to refuse sex) and focused almost exclusively on sexual refusal and condom negotiation. Additionally, coding schemes lacked standardization and micro-analytic strategies (e.g., coding change over time). Finally, observational methods have been almost exclusively used to assess intervention efficacy, rather than to understand associations between behaviorally-assessed communication skills and sexual outcomes or self-reported communication in basic research. We discuss recommendations for future research, including regular use of behavioral observation methods with diverse samples, to triangulate across multiple methodologies and identify correspondence between behavioral and self-report measures.}, number={1}, journal={The Journal of Sex Research}, publisher={Informa UK Limited}, author={Maheux, Anne J. and Widman, Laura and Hurst, Jeffrey L. and Craig, Elizabeth and Evans-Paulson, Reina and Choukas-Bradley, Sophia}, year={2022}, month={Aug}, pages={36–44} }
 @article{hardy_hurst_2021, title={Adolescent motivations to abstain from sex and alcohol: a self-determination theory approach}, ISSN={["1532-480X"]}, DOI={10.1080/10888691.2021.2007767}, abstractNote={Abstract The purpose of this study was to design and validate a measure of adolescent motivations to abstain from sex and alcohol, grounded in self-determination theory, and to examine the roles of controlled and autonomous abstinence motivations in predicting these two risk behaviors. The sample included 799 U.S. adolescents, 15-18 years old. The abstinence motivation measure included 10 items, with five items each for controlled and autonomous abstinence motivations. The measure demonstrated strong psychometrics properties and validity. Controlled and autonomous motivations to abstain from sex and alcohol both correlated negatively with sex and alcohol behaviors. However, in structural equation models only autonomous abstinence motivation for a specific behavior predicted that behavior. A mediation model also found that autonomous but not controlled abstinence motivations mediated relations between religious involvement and risk behaviors. This study generated a theoretical-based measure of adolescent abstinence motivation. Additionally, autonomous abstinence motivations more strongly and uniquely predicted sex and alcohol behaviors than controlled abstinence motivations.}, journal={APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE}, author={Hardy, Sam A. and Hurst, Jeffrey L.}, year={2021}, month={Nov} }
 @article{brasileiro_widman_hurst_2021, title={Sexual self-efficacy and sexual communication among adolescent girls: moderated mediation results from a randomized controlled trial}, volume={11}, ISSN={0887-0446 1476-8321}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2021.2012573}, DOI={10.1080/08870446.2021.2012573}, abstractNote={Abstract Objective: Guided by the Operating Conditions Framework, the goal of this study was to identify how and for whom an online sexual health program called Health Education and Relationship Training (HEART) worked. Design: Data come from a randomized controlled trial among 198 U.S. high school girls who completed HEART or an attention-matched control. We conducted mediation and moderated mediation models to determine if sexual self-efficacy was a mediator and if program acceptability and sexual activity status were moderators of HEART efficacy. Main Outcome Measure: Sexual communication skills were assessed with a behavioral role-play task. Results: HEART significantly improved sexual communication skills. These effects were fully mediated through sexual self-efficacy. Specifically, HEART improved sexual self-efficacy which in turn increased sexual communication skills. Also, when participants liked the program more, the effect of HEART on sexual self-efficacy was stronger. Further, among girls who had engaged in sexual activity, sexual self-efficacy was significantly associated with sexual communication skills. Conclusion: This study provides insights into the mechanisms of behavior change underlying HEART. Results highlight the need to further ‘unpack’ the effects of other sexual health programs, as we showed that programs may work better under certain conditions.}, journal={Psychology & Health}, publisher={Informa UK Limited}, author={Brasileiro, Julia and Widman, Laura and Hurst, Jeffrey L.}, year={2021}, month={Dec}, pages={1–15} }