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Heather K. Alvarez

Research Area:
Clinical

Specializations:
Intervention Design and Outcome Evaluation

Contact Information:

Office: 241 Porter Hall

Phone: (740) 593-1094

E-mail: alvarez@ohio.edu

Research Interests:

School-based Prevention of Risk Behavior in Rural Communities

During the past few decades, substantial efforts have been placed on the development of interventions for use in the school setting. As an alternative to traditional outpatient services, school-based programs offer effective intervention options. Specifically, these programs are generally less impacted by common treatment barriers among children and their families living in rural settings, including access to appropriate care, transportation needs, cost, and communication among service professionals. Dr. Alvarez’s research interests include the investigation of evidenced-based prevention programs for use in the school setting, with a specific focus on contextual influences that impact the program implementation and outcomes. Particular areas of interest include the prevention of violence and substance abuse, group-based interventions, and teacher consultation and training.

Project SOAR: Assessment and Treatment of Dually Diagnosed Adolescents

As part of a continued effort to advance the treatment of adolescents with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, Dr. Alvarez has partnered with Dr. Bernadette Heckman to evaluate different factors that affect treatment receptivity, as well as short– and long-term outcomes of residential treatment programming. Project Strengthening Our Adolescents’ Recovery (SOAR) is based on a partnership with Health Recovery Services, Inc., who specializes in the prevention and treatment of adolescent and adult substance use disorders.

Adolescent Risk and Resilience

Adolescence is generally thought of as a transitional period during the life-span between childhood and adulthood, marked by changes in multiple areas of development and one’s individual ecology. During this time, adolescents at risk are vulnerable to a host of negative developmental outcomes, including substance abuse, violence, and school dropout. Adolescent risk behavior can be expressed in a multitude of forms and in a breadth of environmental and interpersonal contexts. Adolescent resilience refers to the ability to adjust to challenges and transitions presenting during this developmental period. Dr. Alvarez is interested in examining the “normal” rise and fall of risk behavior across adolescence in order to better predict and prevent the progression of the most severe disruptions of behavior. Dr. Alvarez is also interested in examining universal and targeted prevention programs that build resilience among youth at risk.

Recent Publications:

	Alvarez, H.K. (in press). Childhood aggression in schools: The impact of teacher training on teachers' cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses. Teachers and Teaching Education.
	Alvarez, H.K., Seligman, L., Goring, J., Ollendick, T.H. (in press). Longitudinal assessment of school dropout: Findings from a six-year prospective study. Psychology in the Schools.
	Johnson, J.H., Alvarez, H.K., & Loftis, C. (2004). ADHD comorbidity and mimicry: Implications for Assessment and Treatment. In B.L. Maria (Ed.), Current management in child neurology (3rd edition). London: BC Decker Inc.
	Alvarez, H.K., Ollendick, T.H. (2004). Addressing aggressive behavior in schools: Arming the educator. Center for Mental Health in School Quarterly Newsletter.
	Ollendick, T.H., Alvarez, H.K., & Greene, R.W. (2003). Behavioral assessment: History of underlying concepts and methods. In E.M. Heiby & S. Haynes (Eds.), Comprehensive handbook of psychological assessment: Vol. 3. Behavioral assessment (pp. 16-37). New York: Wiley.
	Alvarez, H.K., Ollendick, T.H. (2003). Risk factors: Psychosocial and individual factors. In C.A. Essau, (Ed.), Conduct and oppositional defiant disorders: Epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment (pp. 97-116). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
	Alvarez, H. K., & Ollendick, T. H. (2003). Evidence based treatment. In T. H. Ollendick and C. Schroeder (Eds.), Encyclopedia of clinical child and pediatric psychology. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
	Wozniak, J., Biederman, J., Faraone, S.V., Blier, H.K., & Monuteaux, M.C. (2001). Heterogeneity of childhood conduct disorder: Further evidence of a subtype of conduct disorder linked to bipolar disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 64(2-3): 121-131.

Recent Presentations:

Alvarez, H.K. & Heckman, B.D. (2006). Integrating Psychological and Cultural Factors in the Assessment and Treatment of Adolescents with Substance Use Disorders. Workshop presentation at the Addiction Studies Institute, Columbus, OH.

Owens, J. Alvarez, H.K., Weist, M., Evans, S. (2006). Translational Research in School-based Mental Health: Critical Methodological Issues. Panel discussion accepted at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy November 2006 Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Alvarez, H.K. & Grayson, J. (2006). An Assessment of Teacher Burnout Levels as Associated with Cultural Alignment Factors in Rural Appalachian School Districts. Presentation accepted at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy November 2006 Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Johannes, L.M., Alvarez, H.K., Hellenthal, R., & Grayson, J. (2006). The effects of gender on the association between aggression and social adjustment. Presentation accepted at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy November 2006 Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Alvarez, H.K., Johannes, L., Cuellar, R.E., Vanderzee, K., Elfstrom, J. (2006). Advancing Models of Training in School-based Universal Prevention: Lessons Learned and Future Initiatives. Presentation at the 11th Annual CSMHA Conference on Advancing School-Based Mental Health, Baltimore, MD.

Gay, J., Alvarez, H.K., Heckman, B.D., Kanary, P. (2006). Training initiatives in evidence-based practice for adolescent substance use treatment: Applications for the classroom and in the field. Panel discussion at the 2006 Joint Meeting on Adolescent Treatment Effectiveness (JMATE), Baltimore, MD.

Johannes, L. & Alvarez, H.K. (2006). Universal prevention of school violence in rural schools: Research collaborations and relevant issues. In H. Liss et al., Developing Successful Research and Clinical Collaborations With School Districts: A Roundtable Discussion of Pitfalls Strategies, and Suggestions. Panel discussion presenation at the 19th Annual Research Conference of the Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health, Tampa, FL.

Alvarez, H.K., Johannes, L., Goring, J.C., Ollendick, T.H. (2005). Girls who hit and boys who tease: Understanding the phenomenology and correlates of overt and relational peer victimization among school-aged youth. Presentation at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy November 2005 Annual Conference, Washington, D.C.

Invited Workshops and Presentations:

Alvarez, H.K. (2006). Noisy halls and spitballs: Understanding and addressing disruptive behavior in school. May 19th meeting of the Ohio School-Based Health Center Association.

Alvarez, H.K. (2006). Risk and resiliency in children and adolescents. Southern Consortium for Children Training Series, Athens, OH.

Alvarez, H.K. (2006). Talking to your teens about sex. Athens County Planned Parenthood, Athens, OH.

Alvarez, H.K. (2005). Substance use patterns among rural adolescents: Informing school-based prevention. Trimble Local Schools, Jacksonville, OH.

Alvarez, H.K. (2005). Your gifted child. Athens Association for Gifted Children.

Alvarez, H.K. (2005). Post-docs 101. Ohio Psychological Association of Graduate Students Spring Institute, Columbus, OH.

Courses Taught:

Undergraduate:
Child and Adolescent Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Abnormal Child Psychology
Family Therapy
Clinical Practicum (Child, Adult, and Family)

Graduate:
(same)

Affiliations:

• Association for the Advancement of Behavior and Cognitive Therapy
• Anxiety Disorders Association of America
• American Psychological Association (APA), Division 12, Division 53
• International Society for Research on Aggression

Graduate Students:

• Minna Chau, M.S.
• Anna Crane, M.S.
• Jessica Grayson, M.S.
• Rebecca Hellenthal, M.S.
• Lindsay Johannes, M.S.
• Trevor Petersen, B.S.
• Susan Wilson, B.S.