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Dr. Olga Reyes
Office 1046A BSB
Phone (312)-413-2627
E-Mail to Olga@UIC.EDU.

Research Interests

   My research focuses on resilience and protective factors and the 
prevention of high-risk behaviors in urban, minority children and 
adolescents.  My work is concerned with promoting academic 
achievement and high school completion in high-risk urban 
youngsters.  Specifically, I examine the factors that heighten 
youngsters' vulnerability for maladjustment during normative school 
transitions.  I investigate the role of peer, family and school 
support; youngsters' attitudes and perceptions about school; their 
involvement in high-risk behaviors, such as gang involvement, 
substance abuse, and premature sexual activity; and the role of 
environmental factors, such as school and neighborhood violence and 
other demographic variables, school administrative structures and 
policies, and social setting factors.    
   My work is conducted on site in urban school settings.  Projects 
are developed in collaboration with school staff and often involve 
the input of students as well.  Currently, I am involved in two 
major projects.  I am conducting an investigation that examines 
factors associated with school failure and dropout in a 
predominantly Mexican-American group of urban adolescents.  This 
study departs from a deficits approach and explores the variables 
that contribute to the academic success of youngsters at risk for 
school failure.  I have also developed a longitudinal study that 
both examines and intervenes to facilitate the process of adjustment 
to high school for urban, predominantly low- income, minority 
adolescents.  The intervention provides new freshmen with adult and 
peer support in the context of thrice-weekly classes in which 
students are taught important skills for managing the stress 
associated with the school transition and where they learn decision- 
making skills also designed to promote coping.  The curriculum for 
these classes is delivered by teachers and upper-class peers who are 
specially trained to be sensitive to the developmental needs of 
these youngsters.

Representative Publications
Reyes, O., and Jason, L. A. (1993).  Pilot study examining factors
       associated with academic success for Hispanic high school
       students.  Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 22,(1), 57-71.

Reyes, O., and Jason, L. A. (1991).  An evaluation of a high school
       dropout prevention program.  Journal of Community Psychology,
       19, 221-230.

To The Clinical Division Page
To Community and Prevention Research Division page.