Effectiveness of mentoring programs for youth: A meta-analytic review

被引:717
作者
DuBois, DL [1 ]
Holloway, BE [1 ]
Valentine, JC [1 ]
Cooper, H [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Missouri, Dept Psychol, Columbia, MO 65211 USA
关键词
youth mentoring; program evaluation; primary prevention; children; adolescents;
D O I
10.1023/A:1014628810714
中图分类号
R1 [预防医学、卫生学];
学科分类号
1004 ; 120402 ;
摘要
We used meta-analysis to review 55 evaluations of the effects of mentoring programs on youth. Overall, findings provide evidence of only a modest or small benefit of program participation for the average youth. Program effects are enhanced significantly, however, when greater numbers of both theory-based and empirically based "best practices" are utilized and when strong relationships are formed between mentors and youth. Youth from backgrounds of environmental risk and disadvantage appear most likely to benefit from participation in mentoring programs. Outcomes for youth at-risk due to personal vulnerabilities have varied substantially in relation to program characteristics, with a noteworthy potential evident for poorly implemented programs to actually have an adverse effect on such youth. Recommendations include greater adherence to guidelines for the design and implementation of effective mentoring programs as well as more in-depth assessment of relationship and contextual factors in the evaluation of programs.
引用
收藏
页码:157 / 197
页数:41
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