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Cited by 192Crime Patterns and InterventionsMentoring and Academic DevelopmentYouth Development and Social Support

Mentoring programs to affect delinquency and associated outcomes of youth at risk: A comprehensive meta-analytic review

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Tolan, Patrick H., Henry, David B., Schoeny, Michael S., Lovegrove, Peter, Nichols, Emily·2014·Journal of Experimental Criminology
DOI 10.1007/s11292-013-9181-4PMC PMC4224303
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Abstract

To conduct a meta-analytic review of selective and indicated mentoring interventions for effects for youth at risk on delinquency and key associated outcomes (aggression, drug use, academic functioning). We also undertook the first systematic evaluation of intervention implementation features and organization and tested for effects of theorized key processes of mentor program effects. Campbell Collaboration review inclusion criteria and procedures were used to search and evaluate the literature. Criteria included a sample defined as at risk for delinquency due to individual behavior such as aggression or conduct problems or environmental characteristics such as residence in a high-crime community. Studies were required to be random assignment or strong quasi-experimental design. Of 163 identified studies published from 1970–2011, 46 met criteria for inclusion. Mean effects sizes were significant and positive for each outcome category (ranging from d = 0.11 for academic achievement to d = 0.29 for aggression). Heterogeneity in effect sizes was noted for all four outcomes. Stronger effects resulted when mentor motivation was professional development but not by other implementation features. Significant improvements in effects were found when advocacy and emotional support mentoring processes were emphasized. This popular approach has significant impact on delinquency and associated outcomes for youth at risk for delinquency. While evidencing some features may relate to effects, the body of literature is remarkably lacking in details about specific program features and procedures. This persistent state of limited reporting seriously impedes understanding about how mentoring is beneficial and ability to maximize its utility.

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  • Meta-analyses of evaluations of mentoring programs have supported their potential to promote improved outcomes for participating youth in academics, social competence, and problem behavior avoidance.

    “Meta-analyses of extant evaluations of mentoring programs have supported their potential to promote improved outcomes for participating youth in areas such as academics, social competence, and problem behavior avoidance (for reviews, see DuBois et al., 2002;DuBois et al., 2011;Tolan et al., 2014;Raposa et al., 2019).”

    From 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 (2023) · cites this paper as Tolan et al., 2014

    The Discussion (page not available in our copy) reports modest positive effects of mentoring for academic achievement, delinquency, aggression, and drug use among youth at risk for delinquency. That supports the academic and problem-behavior parts of the claim. Social competence was not one of this review’s four outcomes; the paper mentions social competency only as a youth characteristic discussed in other reviews. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Previous studies have focused on the effectiveness of mentoring programs for youth through review studies and meta-analyses.

    “Previous studies have focused on the effectiveness of mentoring programs for youth through review studies and meta-analyses (e.g., Wheeler et al., 2010; Wood and Mayo-Wilson, 2012; Tolan et al., 2014).”

    From Outcome domains and assessment measures in school-based youth mentoring programs: a systematic review (2026) · cites this paper as Tolan et al., 2014

  • Tolan et al. (2014) found standardized mean difference effect sizes of 0.11 for academic achievement, 0.21 for delinquency, 0.29 for aggression, and 0.16 for drug use.

    “Tolan et al. (2014), for example, found standardized mean difference estimated effect sizes of 0.11 for outcomes relating to academic achievement, and 0.21, 0.29, and 0.16 for those relating to delinquency, aggression, and drug use, respectively.”

    From 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 (2023) · cites this paper as Tolan et al. (2014)

  • Meta-analyses of CBM have identified only small overall positive effects, with standardized mean difference effect sizes from 0.18 to 0.21 in DuBois et al., 0.11 to 0.29 in Tolan et al., and 0.21 in Raposa et al.

    “Nevertheless, these meta-analyses have only identified small overall positive effects, with standardized mean difference effect sizes (d), from 0.18 to 0.21 in DuBois et al. [12,13] from 0.11 to 0.29 in Tolan et al. [16], and 0.21 in Raposa et al. [17].”

    From Unpacking Community-Based Youth Mentoring Relationships: An Integrative Review (2021) · cites this paper as [16]

  • Meta-analyses of quasi-experimental and experimental evaluations confirm that CBM relationships involving high-risk young people can reduce delinquent and aggressive behavior.

    “Meta-analyses of quasi-experimental and experimental evaluations confirm the potential of CBM relationships, involving high-risk young people to progress in the socioemotional, behavioral, and academic domains [12,13,14] and in reducing delinquent and aggressive behavior [15,16].”

    From Unpacking Community-Based Youth Mentoring Relationships: An Integrative Review (2021) · cites this paper as [16]

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Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

2 of the 102 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 18

  1. DuBois DL Rhodes JE 2006 Youth mentoring: Bridging science with practice Journal of Community Psychology 34 547 565
  2. Eby LT Rhodes J Allen TD 2007 Definition and evolution of mentoring Allen TD Eby LT Blackwell handbook of mentoring: A multiple perspectives approach 7 20 Oxford Blackwell
  3. Morgan G Henrion M 1990 Uncertainty: A guide to dealing with uncertainty in quantitative risk and policy analysis Cambridge Cambridge University Press
  4. Tolan PH 2002 Crime prevention: Focus on youth Wilson JQ Petersilia J Crime 109 128 Oakland, CA Institute for Contemporary Studies Press
  5. Tolan PH Henry D Schoeny M Bass A Lovegrove P Nichols E 2013 Mentoring interventions to affect juvenile delinquency and associated problems: Update of previous review http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/project/48/
  6. Berger RJ Gold M 1978 An evaluation of a juvenile court volunteer program Journal of Community Psychology 6 328 333
  7. Brooks LJ 1995 An evaluation of the VCU Mentoring Program (Doctoral dissertation, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1995) Dissertation Abstracts International 57 04 1481A
  8. Davidson WS II 1976 The diversion of juvenile delinquents: An examination of the processes and relative efficacy of childhood advocacy and behavioral contracting. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1976) Dissertation Abstracts International 37 01 601 University Microfilms No. AAT 7616113
  9. Davis H 1988 A mentor program to assist in increasing academic achievement and attendance of at-risk ninth grade students (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 1988) Dissertation Abstracts International 50 03 0580A
  10. Flaherty BP 1985 An experiment in mentoring for high school students assigned to basic courses. (Doctoral dissertation, Boston University, 1985) Dissertation Abstracts International 46 02 0352A
  11. Grossman JB Tierney JP 1998 Does mentoring work? An impact study of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program Evaluation Review 22 3 403 426
  12. Harmon MA 1995 Reducing drug use among pregnant and parenting teens: A program evaluation and theoretical examination. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland at College Park, 1995) Dissertation Abstracts International 56 08 3319A
  13. Keating LM 1996 Mentorship as prevention of juvenile delinquency (Doctoral dissertation, California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego, 1996) Dissertation Abstracts International 57 04 2869 University Microfilms No. AAT 9626966
  14. Kelley TM Kiyak HA Blak RA 1979 The effectiveness of college student companion therapists with predelinquent youths Journal of Police Science and Administration 7 7 186 195
  15. O’Donnell CR Lydgate T Fo WSO 1979 The Buddy System: Review and Follow-Up Child Behavior Therapy 1 2 161 169
  16. Reyes O Jason LA 1991 An evaluation of a high school dropout prevention program Journal of Community Psychology 19 221 230
  17. Rowland RG 1992 An evaluation of the effects of a mentoring program on at-risk students in selected elementary schools in the North East Independent School District. (Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University, 1991) Dissertation Abstracts International 53 1 0039A
  18. Watson SH 1996 A study on the effects of four different types of mentoring plans using retired community individuals and college students as mentors on Hispanic “at risk” students’ grades and attendance (Master’s thesis, Stephen F. Austin State University, 1996) Masters Abstracts International 35 05 1133

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Authors
Tolan, P. H., Henry, D. B., Schoeny, M. S., Lovegrove, P., & Nichols, E.
Affiliations
  • University of Virginia (US)
  • University of Illinois Chicago (US)
  • University of Chicago (US)
Corresponding author
Tolan, Patrick H.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Experimental Criminology
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2013-07-26
Volume
10
Issue
2
Pages
179-206
ISSN
  • 1572-8315 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-3750
DOI
10.1007/s11292-013-9181-4
PMC
PMC4224303
OpenAlex
W2077618942
Semantic Scholar
dcbe4b2eb054560b695e872f25658e7c6a3675f8
Cited by
192
References
102
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 2
FWCI
19.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Experimental Criminology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD035415)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mentoring and Academic Development
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
Keywords
mentoring programs, juvenile delinquency, at-risk youth, aggression, drug use, academic performance, mentor motivation, professional development, advocacy, emotional support, conduct problems

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