@article{ref1,
title="Evaluation of a high school peer group intervention for at-risk youth",
journal="Journal of abnormal child psychology",
year="2005",
author="Cho, Hanseon and Hallfors, Denise Dion and Sanchez, Victoria",
volume="33",
number="3",
pages="363-374",
abstract="The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of Reconnecting Youth, a prevention program for at-risk high school youth. Data are from a large, independently evaluated effectiveness trial in two diverse urban school districts. A total of 1,218 students participated; 50% were male; average age was 15. We tested whether positive efficacy trial effects could be replicated, and whether any negative behavioral effects occur when clustering high-risk youth. Although mixed program effects were observed at immediate post-intervention, only negative effects were found at 6-month follow-up. These effects included less optimal scores on measures of GPA, Anger, School Connectedness, Conventional Peer Bonding, and Peer High-Risk Behaviors. Overall, we found little support for the use of this social-influence--model intervention aimed at increasing school connectedness for high-risk youth. Further, this study provides evidence that clustering high-risk youth in preventive interventions has the potential for iatrogenic effects.",
language="",
issn="0091-0627",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}