New Research Confirms Positive Outcomes for Mentored Youth

New Research Confirms Positive Outcomes for Mentored Youth November 1, 2011: New research from David DuBois, Ph.D., and his coauthors confirms that mentoring programs not only seem to improve outcomes for young people in the areas of academic achievement, behavior, and social and emotional health, but they also can improve these outcomes simultaneously. DuBois is a member of MENTOR's Research and Policy Council, a professor of community health sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a nationally-recognized researcher in the youth mentoring field. His coauthors on this recently-released study are Nelson Portillo, Ph.D., of the University of Central America in San Salvador; Jean Rhodes, Ph.D., of the University of Massachusetts Boston; Naida Silverthorn, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois at Chicago; and Jeffrey Valentine, Ph.D., of the University of Louisville. The research comes from what is known as a meta-analysis. DuBois and colleagues reviewed more than 70 evaluations of mentoring programs from the past decade and analyzed their findings into an overall report that has been published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. In addition to the ways mentoring improves outcomes for youth, the research suggests that establishing an effective mentoring relationship can happen for young people of all ages. As DuBois noted, these findings "speak to the universal importance of caring relationships for us as social animals, whatever our age." According to the report: Mentoring programs over the past decade have been most effective with young people who have pre-existing difficulties or are exposed to higher levels of environmental risk. The authors note, however, that most mentoring programs likely are not well-positioned to handle the demands of young people with severe problems. Programs matching mentors and mentees according to their interests have yielded greater benefits for participating youth. Mentees have benefited more in programs that are structured to have mentors offer guidance and act as advocates for their mentees. The authors offer the caveat, though, that it is important for programs to find ways for mentors to take on these roles without crossing boundaries and becoming over-involved in young people's lives. More research is needed to determine how well mentoring benefits hold up over time. "Mentoring is a strategic intervention that gives communities a way to multiply their support for young people," said DuBois. "But, funders and policymakers need to understand that they will get the best return with programs that use evidence-based practices, such as mentor screening and training. And, if they do, mentoring can be a strong and positive investment in the future of America's children." MENTOR's President and CEO Dr. Larry Wright congratulated DuBois and his coauthors, saying, "MENTOR is working diligently with our network of Mentoring Partnerships to improve the quality of service that programs deliver to mentees. The bottom line is that research, such as this meta-analysis, continues to inform us of what works in helping children achieve their potential, which is our ultimate goal." To read How Effective Are Mentoring Programs for Youth? A Systematic Assessment of the Evidence, go to http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1529100611414806. For more information on the research-based keys to making youth mentoring effective, download the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring, 3rd Edition™ at www.mentoring.org/elements.