A program to help parents communicate with their preadolescent children about media and health.
Official title: Online Parent Media Literacy Program to Promote Preadolescent Health
Funded at Innovation Research and Training, INC. · NIH-10667471 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing an online program called MAP-Tween that helps parents learn how to talk to their preteen kids about important topics like puberty and relationships, while also teaching them how to understand the media's influence on their children's lives.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Innovation Research and Training, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | July 18, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $208,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R21HD108440-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10667471 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this program are parents of children aged 0-11 years who are seeking to improve their communication skills regarding media and health topics.
✕Less likely to help
Parents of children outside the preadolescent age range or those not interested in media literacy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research develops an online program called MAP-Tween aimed at equipping parents with the skills to effectively communicate with their preadolescent children about important topics such as puberty, gender roles, and relationships. The program focuses on enhancing media literacy, helping parents understand the impact of media on their children's beliefs and behaviors. By providing resources and practice in high-quality communication, the program seeks to empower parents to mitigate the negative influences of media on their children's health outcomes. The initiative is informed by input from a diverse advisory panel, ensuring it meets the needs of families.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve the health outcomes of preadolescents by fostering better parent-child communication.
How similar studies have gone: Previous programs focusing on media literacy education have shown positive impacts on youth health outcomes, indicating a promising approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Innovation Research and Training, INC.
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Scull, Tracy Marie — Innovation Research and Training, INC.
- Study coordinator: Scull, Tracy Marie
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.