Abstract
The study, a two-arm, randomized controlled, parallel group, superiority trial, aimed to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of a 12-month one-to-one volunteer mentoring program designed to improve behavioral and emotional outcomes in children aged 5 to 11 years who have teacher- and parent/carer-reported behavioral difficulties. Participants were 246 children (123 intervention, 123 control; mean age 8.4 years; 87% boys) in five sites in London, UK, scoring in the “abnormal” range on the teacher-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Total Difficulties measure and in the “borderline” or abnormal range on the parent-rated SDQ Total Difficulties measure. Randomization on a 1:1 ratio took place using a computer-generated sequence and stratifying by site. Data collectors and statisticians were blind to participant allocation status. Outcome measures focused on parent- and teacher-rated child behavior and emotions, and child-rated self-perception and hope. Intention-to-treat analysis on all 246 randomized participants (using imputed data where necessary) showed that at post-intervention (16 months after randomization), there were no statistically significant effects on the primary outcome—parent-rated SDQ Total Difficulties (adjusted standardized mean difference = − 0.12; 95% CI: −0.38 to 0.13; p = 0.33)—or any secondary outcomes. Results from complier average causal effect (CACE) analysis using the primary outcome indicated the intervention was not effective for children who received the recommended duration of mentoring. Exploratory analyses found no sub-group effects on the primary outcome. The article concludes that the mentoring program had no effect on children’s behavior or emotional well-being, and that program content needs revising to satisfactorily address key risk and protective factors.
Highlights
Serious antisocial behavior in adolescence and adulthood can be predicted by early signs of behavioral and emotional difficulties in childhood (Farrington and Welsh 2007)
Identity development is promoted by the mentor encouraging a more positive future orientation, displaying qualities that youth might wish to emulate and exposing mentees to new contexts and resources, thereby expanding their range of possible selves; cognitive development, including self-regulation, is encouraged through shared activities and meaningful conversations with more sophisticated thinkers; and social-emotional development is furthered by the mentor facilitating more positive connections with others and providing a context in which to interpret and manage interpersonal difficulties
The authors advised that while the findings offer some support for the efficacy of youth mentoring, with even small effects potentially exerting an important influence on youth development trajectories, there is a need to remain realistic about its modest impact and seek to improve it
Summary
Serious antisocial behavior in adolescence and adulthood can be predicted by early signs of behavioral and emotional difficulties in childhood (Farrington and Welsh 2007). Childhood behavioral and emotional difficulties, which affect approximately 10% of children aged 5–15 years in Britain (Green et al 2005), elevate children’s risk for poor outcomes across multiple domains, including academic achievement, health, social relationships, and offending (Nagin and Tremblay 1999; Roza et al 2003; Patel et al 2007; Breslau et al 2008; Bailey et al 2009; Calkins and Keane 2009; Fletcher 2010) For this reason, it is important to prevent such difficulties and thereby avert later antisocial and criminal behavior. Identity development is promoted by the mentor encouraging a more positive future orientation, displaying qualities that youth might wish to emulate and exposing mentees to new contexts and resources, thereby expanding their range of possible selves; cognitive development, including self-regulation, is encouraged through shared activities and meaningful conversations with more sophisticated thinkers; and social-emotional development is furthered by the mentor facilitating more positive connections with others (peers and adults) and providing a context in which to interpret and manage interpersonal difficulties
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