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Luciana
C.
Assini-Meytin
,
PhD

Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse
Assistant Scientist

Luciana C. Assini-Meytin, PhD, MS, researches strategies to advance the science of child sexual abuse prevention.

Contact Info

415 N. Washington Street, Room 527
Baltimore
Maryland
21231
US        

Research Interests

child sexual abuse prevention; adverse childhood experiences; life course research; adolescent health; health disparities.

Experiences & Accomplishments
Education
PhD
University of Maryland School of Public Health
2017
MS
Federal University of Santa Catarina
2011
BS
Federal University of Santa Catarina
2004
Overview

My research is primarily focused on the development and evaluation of strategies to prevent children from being sexually abused. I also utilize longitudinal cohorts to examine the long-term consequences of child sexual abuse and other types of traumatic events experienced in childhood, for both men and women. My training is in Psychology and Public Health, with a focus on behavioral analysis and life-course research.

Honors & Awards

2024, 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award. Course "Childhood Victimization: A Public Health Perspective." 4th Term. Co-Instructor with Elizabeth Letourneau, PhD. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

2021, 2020 Excellence in Teaching Award. Course "Childhood Victimization: An Overview of Public Health Efforts" Summer Institute. Co-Instructor with Rebecca Fix, PhD. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

2020-2022 Society for Prevention Research’s Early Career Prevention Scientist Training Program Fellowship. 

2018 The National Foundation to End Child Abuse and Neglect Disruption Paper Finalist.

2016 Glover Dissertation Award. School of Public Health Honors Convocation, University of Maryland. College Park, MD. 

2016 Travel Award. Society for Prevention Research. San Francisco, CA.

2015 Honorable Mention. Society for Prevention Research/Early Career Preventionists Network Student Poster Contest. Washington, DC. 

 

Select Publications

Selected Papers:

  • Assini-Meytin, L.C., Nair, R., McGinty, E.B., Stuart, E.A., & Letourneau, E. J. (2023). Is the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion Associated With Reported Incidents of Child Sexual Abuse? Child Maltreatment, 28(2), 203-208. https://doi.org/10.1177/107755952210796

  • Assini-Meytin, L.C., Thorne, E.J., Sanikommu, M., Green, K.M., & Letourneau, E.J. (2022). Impact of child sexual abuse on socioeconomic attainment in adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Health, 71(5), 594-600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.05.013

  • Assini-Meytin, L.C., Fix, R.L., Green, K.M., Nair, R. & Letourneau, E.J. (2021). Adverse childhood experiences, mental health, and risk behaviors in adulthood: Exploring sex, racial, and ethnic group differences in a nationally representative sample. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma. 10.1007/s40653-021-00424-3

  • Ruzicka, A., Assini-Meytin, L.C., Schaeffer, C., Bradshaw, C. & Letourneau, E.J. (2021). Responsible behavior with younger children: Examining the feasibility of a classroom-based program to prevent child sexual abuse perpetration by adolescents. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2021.1881858

  • Assini-Meytin, L.C., Fix, R.L., & Letourneau, E.J. (2020). Child sexual abuse: The need for a perpetration prevention focus. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 29(1), pp. 22-40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2019.1703232

Projects
Enhancing the Responsible Behavior with Younger Children (RBYC) curriculum with educational videos to support the needs of teens with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Guiding leaders to prevent and address child sexual abuse within K-12 schools
Evaluating child sexual abuse prevention strategies within youth serving organizations
Building Safer Schools: Identifying Risk and Protective Factors for Educator Sexual Abuse and Misconduct and in K- 12 Schools