We’re thrilled to celebrate the recent publication of two impactful first-author manuscripts by our very own staff members, Dr. Jaclyn Maher and Graduate Assistant Emily Postlethwait! Even more impressive—both also contributed as co-authors on each other’s papers, showcasing the high level of collaboration, dedication, and mutual support that defines our team at the Center for Women’s Health and Wellness.
Joining them as co-authors on both studies were Dr. Jessica Dollar and Graduate Assistant Maslyn Behler, further highlighting the powerhouse contributions of our entire research team.
Emily Postlethwait’s first first author manuscript
Daily Associations Between Social Support, the Built Environment, and Physical Activity Among Adolescent Girls
Abstract: Many adolescent girls fail to meet physical activity (PA) guidelines, with research often overlooking daily influences of social support and built environments on PA. To address this, we employed ecological momentary assessment methods within a social ecological model framework. Girls (n = 66; 12–18 years) reported their social support for PA, built environment perceptions, and time spent in PA over 28 days. Multilevel models indicated that, at the between-person level, girls with higher overall social support tended to engage in more PA (B = 1.50, p < .01). At the within-person level, girls who received more social support than usual (B = 1.37, p < .01), and perceived their environment as more PA conducive than usual (B = 0.75, p < .01), engaged in more PA on those days. No association was found between built environment perceptions and PA, nor did social support interact with these perceptions (p = .33). Our findings emphasize the importance of promoting social support in adolescent girls.
Dr. Jaclyn Maher keeps increasing her productivity
A Daily Analysis of Adolescent Girls’ Physical Activity Using a Social Ecological Model Lens
Abstract: Many adolescent girls fail to meet physical activity (PA) guidelines, with research often overlooking daily influences of social support and built environments on PA. To address this, we employed ecological momentary assessment methods within a social ecological model framework. Girls (n = 66; 12–18 years) reported their social support for PA, built environment perceptions, and time spent in PA over 28 days. Multilevel models indicated that, at the between-person level, girls with higher overall social support tended to engage in more PA (B = 1.50, p < .01). At the within-person level, girls who received more social support than usual (B = 1.37, p < .01), and perceived their environment as more PA conducive than usual (B = 0.75, p < .01), engaged in more PA on those days. No association was found between built environment perceptions and PA, nor did social support interact with these perceptions (p = .33). Our findings emphasize the importance of promoting social support in adolescent girls.
These studies were conducted in collaboration with girls from our own community, reinforcing our Center’s mission: conducting research that directly informs and serves women’s health needs and helping build evidence-based interventions that truly make a difference.
We’re incredibly proud of the high productivity and collaborative spirit of our team. These accomplishments reflect not just academic excellence, but a shared commitment to improving health outcomes for women and girls—one day, one dataset, and one community partnership at a time.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Maher, Emily, Dr. Dollar, and Maslyn on this exciting achievement!