Research Rookies Student Profiles
Name: Noemi Rodriguez
Cohort: Continuing Research Rookie
Major: Nursing
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sally Conklin
Project Title: Child Sexual Abuse by Adolescent Boys: Comparing 3 Prevention Strategies
Project Overview: I will investigate child sexual abusers, who are adolescent boys. I will focus on three interventions to limit abuse. In order to identify interventions that work, I will compare strategies that are designed to limit abuse. My goal is to compare successful interventions representing 1) therapy, 2) education, and 3) targeted primary prevention. I will learn which interventions best limit abuse and ultimately prevent adolescent boys from becoming child sexual abusers. The problem I am investigating involves both primary and secondary prevention strategies; these are public health concerns. I will carry out the investigation using a comparative method in which efficacy of each prevention strategy is determined. I anticipate learning more about specific examples of interventions that impact the complex topic of child sexual abuse perpetrated by adolescent boys. I also expect to learn which level of prevention is most effective in limiting or preventing abuse and to apply this learning to my own career goals.