A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Long-Term Professional Mentoring Program for Children at Risk: Outcomes Across the...

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Intervention Science

Background:

• At-risk children face challenges in adolescent adjustment.
• Early intervention programs are crucial for positive child outcomes.
• Professional mentoring offers a structured support system.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the Friends of the Children (FOTC) program on child outcomes.
• To assess the effectiveness of paid, professional mentoring for at-risk youth.
• To examine long-term effects across elementary school years.

Main Methods:

• Multi-site randomized controlled trial with 278 at-risk children (kindergarten/first grade).
• Intent-to-treat analyses of growth curves over five years.
• Mentors provided full-time, individualized support with training and supervision.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in caregiver-rated positive school behavior favoring the FOTC group.
• Significant reduction in caregiver-rated school behavioral problems for FOTC participants.
• A trend towards higher child behavioral and emotional strengths in the intervention group.

Conclusions:

• The FOTC program demonstrates significant positive effects on school behavior for at-risk children.
• Professional, consistent mentoring can be an effective strategy for early intervention.
• Findings support the value of structured youth mentoring programs in community settings.