Reconnecting Youth

This is a school prevention program for high school students at a high risk of dropping out. The aim is to improve performance and school attendance, reduce the use of psychoactive substances, and improve emotional self-regulation.
The program focuses on adolescents with low academic performance, poor school attendance, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and drug abuse. The intervention is integrated into the school curriculum and is implemented daily over six months, focusing on the development of skills under adult supervision and community support.
Participation is not compulsory, but invited students who agree to take part in the program receive complementary credits.

Impact evaluations

An impact assessment pointed to side effects, with the students in the treatment group being more likely to engage in risky behavior and having a lower level of connection with their peers than the students in the control group, who did not receive the intervention. The evaluation showed no significant effects on delinquency rates, alcohol abuse, cigarette use, school grade point average, aggressive behavior, and school-related feelings [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Cho, H., Hallfors, D. D. & Sánchez, V. (2005). Evaluation of a high school peer group intervention for at-risk youth. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33(3), 363–374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-005-3574-4

Information source

Crime Solutions