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Study reveals the hidden toll of financial sextortion on teenage boys and men
Department of Criminology Assistant Professor Roberta O’Malley, an expert in online violence, recently published a study on financial sextortion in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Her research shows men and boys are the main targeted group and often experience significant financial and psychological effects as a result.
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Michelle Arnold, PhD; Carlos Benitez Barrera, PhD; Hana Kim, PhD; Jungmee Lee, PhD; Robert Lutfi, PhD; Jisook Park, PhD: Erol Ozmeral, PhD; postdoctoral scholar Heesung Park, PhD; and doctoral student Hoonki Chun, AuD, represented the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the 2026 World Congress of Audiology, held in Seoul, South Korea. Their presentations explored topics including language access for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, hearing loss self-management, population-based hearing research, artificial intelligence in clinical care, aphasia and hearing loss, hearing aid technology, and spatial hearing, while faculty also met with Korean scholars and clinicians to strengthen international research collaborations.
On the School of Social Work's Remark-A-Bull podcast, doctoral student Karah Greene, MSW, shares her academic journey from graduating as a quiet BSW student during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to becoming an accomplished researcher. Greene explains how mentorship, curiosity and a willingness to embrace new opportunities have shaped her path. Listen here.
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Pasco County Opioid Task Force making progress in fight against opioid addiction
Spectrum News 9
"The task force recently partnered with the University of South Florida to conduct a gap analysis, taking a closer look at what people in recovery need most. The study identified challenges, including the high cost of services and unequal access to care across the county."
USF, Pasco Opioid Taskforce seek feedback to fight addiction
Fox 13
"What do people experience in the school system? You know, people who have called a crisis line, right? Like, are they getting the experience and the services that they need?" said Abby Shockley, the director of the Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Technical Assistance Center at the University of South Florida."
Is True Crime Good for Society
Britannica
"Professor of criminology Dawn K. Cecil explains that true crime conveys the facts of a crime, which may be enhanced for the sake of entertainment by dramatization, reenactments, or other creative ways of reconstructing events to present them to the audience."
A forgotten population Missing Black men receive limited media coverage and law enforcement response
The Final Call
"Dr. Bryanna Fox, former FBI agent and criminology professor at the University of South Florida, collaborated on a project to determine how social media, traditional media and law enforcement’s techniques help bring missing people home safely and sooner."
Note Tied To Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance Said She Had Died
CNN
"I think also it is important to say that this kidnapper wants the family to know that," said Bryanna Fox.
Cybersecurity experts: Old threats growing more dangerous in the age of AI
BYTESEU
"C. Jordan Howell, a criminologist and cybersecurity expert who teaches at the University of South Florida, similarly said that security professionals have been discussing AI-enabled cyber threats for some time."
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The Association Between Sleep, Sex Differences, and Mental Health Across the Lifespan
Psychiatric Times
"Fumiko Hamada from the University of South Florida discussed sex differences in sleep problems and psychological well-being among older adults at the SLEEP 2026 annual meeting."
Poor sleep in middle-aged women is associated with lower psychological well-being nearly a decade later
SLEEP2026
“Sleep problems appear to have lasting negative effects on psychological well-being over nearly a decade, and these effects were more pronounced among females in our sample,” said lead author Fumiko Hamada, a researcher and doctoral student at the University of South Florida in Tampa. “This suggests that sleep may be a particularly important long-term risk factor for psychological well-being in women.”
Poor Sleep in Midlife Tied to Worse Well-Being Years Later
Medscape
“Sleep problems are sometimes viewed as a normal part of aging, but our findings suggest they may have important long-term implications for psychological well-being,” lead author Fumiko Hamada, MA, a doctoral student and sleep researcher in the School of Aging Studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, told Medscape Medical News."
Virtual reality job-training creates career paths for young adults with disabilities
USF Magazine
"While searching for that next step, he learned about a pilot project emerging from USF — Delivering Innovative Vocational Education through Virtual Reality Technology (DIVE-VRT)."
Disgusting and vile’: Locals react to arrest of Tampa business owner on AI child porn charges
WFLA-TV (NBC)
“If a real person would think it was a real child, that’s what the law says. And so they can charge, you know, anybody for possessing or producing child pornography,” said Thomas Hyslip, a USF Assistant Professor of Cyber Crime Investigations and Digital Forensics."
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Gibbons, J. A., Nelson, R. M., Dabrowski, C. N., Narkhede, A., Szalacha, L. A., Kneusel, M. L., ... & Ho, T. T. (2026). Enteral Iron Dose Effect on Iron Storage, Intestinal Barrier, and Gut Microbiome in Preterm Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 101389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101389
Napolitano, D., Jennings, A., Crosland, K., Busch, L., Rosenberg, T., & Brown, H. (2026). Interprofessional Collaboration and Practice in Behavior Science: Toward Ethical, Sustainable, and Effective Practice. Behavior and Social Issues, 35(1), 275-283. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-026-00259-3
| | | Winter, K., Day, J., Crosland, K., & Schnell-Peskin, L. K. (2026). Using Behavioral Skills Training to Train New Parents to Reduce Choking Risks: Three Single-Subject Study. Research on Social Work Practice, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/104973152614494 | | |
Pamela Hardy-Jones (Department of Child and Family Studies)
Parents' Playbook: Mastering Cognitive, Emotional, and Social Development
Sponsor: Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
7/1/2026-6/30/2027
Total Award Amount: $50,000
The Parent’s Playbook is an innovative online training initiative designed to strengthen caregivers’ ability to support young children’s cognitive, emotional and social development during the critical early years. Through this project, USF will develop and pilot three evidence-informed, culturally responsive training modules that translate child development research into practical, everyday parenting strategies. In partnership with community agencies across the Tampa Bay region, approximately 150 caregivers, including birth parents, foster parents, adoptive parents and other caregivers, will participate in the pilot. The project aims to increase caregiver knowledge, confidence and competency in promoting children’s learning, emotional regulation, resilience and positive social interactions, while strengthening parent-child relationships and improving children’s readiness for long-term healthy development and school success.
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Call for Papers
Submission deadline: July 1
The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, in partnership with the Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce, invites submissions for a special issue focused on Strengthening the Behavioral Health Workforce: Research, Innovation and Policy. Learn more.
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Project iSEBA 2026 Summer Institute
July 10 | 9 a.m - noon | Register
"Utilizing Distance Learning and Technology, Math Instruction, Literacy Instruction, and School Leadership to Support School-Aged Children with Severe Emotional and Behavioral Disorders." The Project iSEBA 2026 Summer Institute will be divided into four parts, offered on four different days.
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From Research to Action: The Florida Behavioral Health Workforce Summit
Sept. 10-11 | Marshall Student Center | Register
Join the Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce for its inaugural summit aimed at translating research into action to grow, retain and innovate Florida’s workforce. From researchers and service providers to policymakers, educators, students and more, this summit brings every voice in the continuum together. Continuing education credits are available.
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Adding News, Events, and Publications to the CBCS Website and Newsletter
If you have news/events or recent/upcoming publications you would like posted on the CBCS website and/or in the Communique newsletter, send the details and any attachments to CBCS Marketing (CBCSMarketing@usf.edu). Please send all newsletter submissions no later than Thursday for inclusion in the following week's newsletter.
Be sure to include all pertinent information (title, date, times, location, event description, and contact information) in editable digital text format. Articles included in the CBCS Communiqué may be disseminated to USF Media outlets and/or beyond.
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