Research suggests that mentoring programs may promote a range of positive outcomes in youth populations.
In this study, the extent to which mentoring interventions promote positive outcomes among youth involved in the foster care system was investigated and factors that may moderate the effectiveness of mentoring interventions were systematically explored.
Using a multilevel meta-analytic approach, this study estimated the effect size of nine formal mentoring programs in the United States serving youth involved with the foster care system (total n = 55,561). Here’s what was found.
- They work!
Our results revealed a small-to-medium overall effect of mentoring programs for youth involved with the foster care system with no differences in mentoring impact across different types of youth outcomes. - Cross-age peer mentoring is particularly effective
The study results also indicated that near-peer mentors are more effective than intergenerational mentors in formal mentoring programs for youth involved with the foster care system. - Working with youth who have suffered emotional abuse is particularly challenging
Weaker effects were found for studies containing higher proportions of youth with emotional abuse histories, but not in other forms of abuse histories such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, and physical neglect. - Support to mentors matters!
Results also indicated that providing more support to mentors may help promote stronger positive program effects. - Time-limited models may be particularly effective
Expected program duration, expected mentoring session length, and expected mentor support collectively moderated the effects of mentoring.
- Although additional research is warranted, these findings suggest that with adequate training and support, mentoring programs may not need to be lengthy as commonly assumed, and that shorter meetings may actually be more effective in promoting positive youth outcomes.