Effects of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Community-Based Mentoring Program on social-emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes of participating youth: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

This research is a randomized controlled trial of effects of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) Community-Based Mentoring Program on the social-emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes of participating youth over a 13-month period. Seven hundred sixty-four youth between 9 and 14 years old were enrolled in the study through two BBBSA agencies that served predominantly urban areas on the West Coast. Each participating youth was randomly assigned either to be immediately eligible for being matched with a mentor (treatment group; n = 379) or to remain on the program waitlist for 13 months (control group; n = 385). Analyses for the present study are based on 654 youth for whom outcome data were able to be obtained at a 13-month follow-up (87.0% of the treatment group and 84.2% of the control group). Outcome measures were completed by youth (depressive symptoms, prosocial behavior, social acceptance, parent–child relationship quality, misconduct, self-perception of academic ability, skipping school, and academic performance) and primary caregivers (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ]) at baseline and at the 13-month follow-up. Composite indices reflecting the average of youth- and/or parent-reported outcome measures were also examined. Findings indicated effects of mentoring (i.e., being offered a mentor) that reached statistical significance, all favoring the treatment group, for youth-reported depressive symptoms, parent-reported emotional symptoms, peer problems, conduct problems and the total difficulties score on the SDQ, and the parent-report and combined youth- and parent-report composite indices at the 13-month assessment (Cohen’s d ranging from 0.138 to 0.253).