Jeffrey Parsons Professor of Psychology
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Education:
- B.A., University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, 1988
- M.A., University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 1990
- Ph.D., University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 1992
Research Interest:
- Parsons Research
I direct the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST) where the majority of my research is conducted. I am a member of the doctoral faculty in the Social-Personality subprogram and the Health Psychology concentration at the Graduate Center-CUNY. I consider myself primarily a sex researcher and am an active member of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS; www.sexscience.org), and the Vice President of the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH; www.sash.net).
My federally funded grant research focuses on the intersection between sexual risk behaviors and substance use, and how this affects issues related to HIV/AIDS. I typically begin with formative qualitative and quantitative studies designed to better understand the unique health-related behavior change needs of a particular population, followed by the development and evaluation of behavior interventions designed to help promote change. I am currently the Principal Investigator of two federally funded research projects: 1) Project PLUS – a randomized clinical trial of an intervention using Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to improve medication adherence and reduce alcohol use among HIV seropositive (HIV+) men and women funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA); and 2) The PARTY Project – a formative qualitative and quantitative longitudinal study of the contextual aspects of club drug use among heterosexual and homosexual young adults (ages 18-25), funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Through my work with colleagues at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, I am also the Co-Principal Investigator on Project PnP (Party and Play) – a NIDA-funded randomized clinical trial of an intervention using MI to decrease club drug use and unsafe sex among HIV+ and HIV- gay and bisexual men. All of these studies are conducted at CHEST. The CHEST website which has information on all of these studies can be found at http://www.hometown.aol.com/chestnyc/
My other research has included an examination of factors related to adolescent risk-taking, sexual behaviors and other issues facing gay/bisexual male sex workers, and HIV issues among persons with hemophilia. I am also actively involved with my students in a variety of studies examining the lives of LGBT persons, both in New York City and Los Angeles.
I am also a member of the International Association of Motivational Interviewing Trainers (IAMIT) and provide a great deal of training in motivational interviewing (MI) to HIV clinics, medical and psychosocial providers, and other individuals incorporating MI into their clinical work. I serve as a consultant on a number of grant funded studies using MI to promote HIV-related behavior change. I am also a member of the Committee on Psychology and AIDS (COPA) of the American Psychological Association and a member of the Adolescent Medicine Leadership Group and the Behavioral Leadership Group for the multi-site Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions.
Selected Publications:
- Parsons, J.T., Vicioso, K., Kutnick, A., Punzalan, J.C., Halkitis, P.N., & Velasquez, M.M. (2004). Alcohol use and stigmatized sexual practices of HIV+ gay and bisexual men. Addictive Behaviors, 29, 1045-1051.
- Halkitis, P.N., Wilton, L., Parsons, J.T., & Hoff, C. (2004). Correlates of sexual risk-taking among HIV+ gay men in seroconcordant primary partner relationships. Psychology, Health, and Medicine, 9(1), 99-113.
- Parsons, J.T., Missildine, W., VanOra, J., Purcell, D.W., & Gomez, C.A. (2004). HIV serostatus disclosure to sexual partners among HIV+ injection drug users. AIDS Patient Care and STDs, 18, 27-39.
- Parsons, J.T., Vicioso, K., Punzalan, J.C., Halkitis, P.N., Kutnick, A., & Velasquez, M.M. (2004). The Impact of alcohol use on the sexual scripts of HIV+ men who have sex with men. Journal of Sex Research, 41, 160-172.
- Parsons, J.T., Koken, J.A., & Bimbi, D.S. (2004). The Use of the Internet by gay and bisexual male escorts: Sex workers as sex educators. AIDS Care, 16(8), 410-425.
- Halkitis, P.N., Parsons, J.T., & Wilton, L. (2003). An Exploratory study of contextual and situational factors related to methamphetamine use among gay and bisexual men in New York City. Journal of Drug Issues, 33(2), 413-432.
- Halkitis, P.N., & Parsons, J.T., & Wilton, L. (2003). Barebacking among gay and bisexual men in New York City: Explanations for the emergence of intentional unsafe behavior. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32(4), 351-357.
- Halkitis, P.N., Parsons, J.T., Wolitski, R., & Remien, R. (2003). Characteristics of HIV antiretroviral treatments, access, and adherence in an ethnically-diverse sample of MSM. AIDS Care, 15(1), 89-102.
- Parsons, J.T., Halkitis, P.N., Wolitski, R.J., & Gomez, C.A. (2003). Correlates of sexual risk behaviors among HIV+ men who have sex with men. AIDS Education and Prevention, 15(5), 383-400.
- Halkitis, P.N., & Parsons, J.T. (2003). Intentional unsafe sex (barebacking) among HIV-positive gay men who seek sexual partners on the Internet. AIDS Care, 15(3), 367-378.
- Halkitis, P.N., & Parsons, J.T. (2002). Recreational drug use and HIV-risk sexual behavior among men frequenting gay social venues. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 14(4), 19-39.
- Parsons, J.T., & Halkitis, P.N. (2002). Sexual and drug using practices of HIV+ men who frequent commercial and public sex environments. AIDS Care, 14(6), 815-826.
- Halkitis, P.N., Parsons, J.T., & Stirratt, M. (2001). A double epidemic: Crystal methamphetamine use and its relation to HIV transmission among gay men. Journal of Homosexuality, 41(2), 17-35.
- Purcell, D.W., Parsons, J.T., Halkitis, P.N., Mizuno, Y., & Woods, W. (2001). Relationship of substance use by HIV-seropositive men who have sex with men and unprotected anal intercourse with HIV-negative and unknown serostatus partners. Journal of Substance Abuse, 13(1-2), 185-200.
- Parsons, J.T., Bimbi, D., & Halkitis, P.N. (2001). Sexual compulsivity among gay/bisexual male escorts who advertise on the Internet. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 8, 101-112.
- Moore, S., & Parsons, J.T. (2000). A research agenda for adolescent risk-taking: Where do we go from here? Journal of Adolescence, 23(4), 371-376.
- Parsons, J.T., Huszti, H.C., Crudder, S., Rich, L., & Mendoza, J. (2000). Maintenance of safer sexual behaviours: Evaluation of a theory-based intervention for HIV seropositive men with haemophilia and their female partners. Haemophilia, 6(3), 181-190.
- Parsons, J.T., Halkitis, P.N., Borkowski, T., & Bimbi, D. (2000). Perceptions of the benefits and costs associated with condom use and unprotected sex among late adolescent college students. Journal of Adolescence, 23(4), 377-391.
- Brown, L.K., Schultz, J.R., Parsons, J.T., Butler, R.B., Forsberg, A.D., Kocik, S.M., et al. (2000). Sexual behavior change among HIV-infected adolescents with hemophilia. Pediatrics, 106(2), 1-6.
- Halkitis, P.N., & Parsons, J.T. (1999). Oral sex and HIV risk reduction: Perceived risk, behaviors, and strategies among young, HIV-negative gay men. Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality, 11(4), 1-24.
- Parsons, J.T., Huszti, Crudder, S., Gage, B., Jarvis, D., Parish, K., et al. (1998). Determinants of HIV risk reduction behavior among female romantic partners of HIV-infected men with hemophilia. AIDS and Behavior, 2, 1-12.
- Huszti, H., Parsons, J.T., Cotton, D., Mendoza, J., Harlow, L., Parish, K.L., et al. (1998). Determinants of safer sexual behavior in a long-term HIV infected population: A National survey of men with hemophilia and HIV infection. Journal of Health Psychology, 3(4), 507-522.
- Parsons, J.T., Norman, L., Butler, R., & Nuss, R. (1998). The role of the family system in HIV risk reduction: Adolescents with hemophilia and HIV and their parents. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 23(1), 57-65.
- Parsons, J.T., Siegel, A.W., & Cousins, J.H. (1997). Late adolescent risk-taking: Effects of perceived benefits and perceived risks on behavioral intentions and behavioral change. Journal of Adolescence, 20(4), 381-392.
- Remafedi, G., Parsons, J.T., Schultz, J.R., & Lloyd Schulz, S. (1997). Sexual behavior of HIV-seropositive young men with congenital coagulopathies. Journal of Adolescent Health, 21(4), 232-237.
Sites of Interest: