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Environmental and Individual Risk as Moderators of a Site-Based Mentoring Program for Adolescents Exposed to
Reagan L Miller-Chagnon1, Jill T Krause2, Megan J Moran2
1Department of Psychology, College of Natural Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
Journal of Community Psychology
|December 29, 2025
Summary
Targeted mentoring significantly benefits at-risk youth. Greater individual and environmental risk factors correlated with greater improvements in emotional and behavioral problems for adolescents in mentoring programs.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Psychology
- Youth Development Programs
- Mental Health Disparities
Background:
- The impact of individual and environmental risk factors on youth mentoring outcomes remains unclear.
- Understanding these moderators is crucial for optimizing youth support programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the moderating effects of individual and environmental risk factors on the outcomes of a targeted mentoring program for youth.
- To clarify how risk factors influence the effectiveness of mentoring interventions.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 676 youth (aged 10-19) and their guardians participated in a site-based, targeted mentoring program.
- Analysis focused on the relationship between baseline risk factors and program outcomes.
Main Results:
- Youth with higher individual risk factors showed greater reductions in internalizing problems, emotional issues, and delinquency.
- Youth with higher environmental risk factors experienced significant reductions in peer problems.
- Targeted mentoring demonstrated positive effects across various risk profiles.
Conclusions:
- Supportive, targeted mentoring programs are beneficial for youth facing significant individual and environmental risks.
- Mentoring may serve as a strategy to mitigate mental health disparities in adolescents exposed to adversity.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms of mentoring effectiveness.
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