Mentoring Program for Juvenile Delinquency

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Illinois at Chicago

Disqualifiers: Severe intellectual disability, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 4 years

1361 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) community-based mentoring (CBM) program for prevention of crime and delinquency/conduct problems, including risk and protective factors for these outcomes. Approximately 2,500 youth ages 10-16 will be randomly assigned to either the CBM program or an untreated control group. Study outcomes will be assessed over a 4-year period via both youth- and parent-report surveys and official records of police/court contact (e.g., arrests).

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants must stop taking their current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program for juvenile delinquency?

Research shows that mentoring programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters can help young people develop important skills and positive attitudes. For example, a study found that youth in a career-mentoring program showed more pro-social motivations and realistic attitudes toward work compared to those in other programs. Additionally, mentoring can help build trust and understanding, as seen in programs like Bigs in Blue, which pairs police officers with middle-school students. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program safe for participants?

The Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program is generally considered safe for participants, with no significant safety concerns reported in the studies. However, early closures of mentoring relationships can have negative effects on youth, so maintaining stable and supportive mentoring relationships is important. ^{3 4 6 7 8}

How does the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program differ from other treatments for juvenile delinquency?

The Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program is unique because it pairs vulnerable young people with trained adult mentors who provide one-on-one support, helping them develop psychological and behavioral skills like self-esteem and coping abilities. Unlike other interventions, this program focuses on building significant, supportive relationships between youth and caring adults, which is not a standard approach in juvenile delinquency treatments. ^{2 3 4 5 9}

Research Team

David L DuBois, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Illinois at Chicago

Carla Herrera, PhD

Principal Investigator

Herrera Consulting Group, LLC

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for youth aged 10-16 who may benefit from the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program. They must be able to speak and read English or Spanish, have not been previously matched with a mentor through BBBSA, don't have severe disabilities as reported by parents, and aren't siblings of current participants.

Inclusion Criteria

Youth is likely to be eligible for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring program as determined by initial assessment of program staff

Youth is 10 years of age or older

Exclusion Criteria

Parent does not both speak and read either English or Spanish

Youth has been matched with a Big Brother/Sister through one of the affiliate's programs in the past

Youth belongs to a group that the affiliate is excluding from study participation based on previous agreement with the research team

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

Enrollment

Participants are enrolled and randomly assigned to either the CBM program or control group

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants in the treatment group engage in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program

4 years

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for outcomes related to crime and delinquency through surveys and official records

4 years

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program

Trial Overview The study tests if the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring program can prevent crime and delinquency in young people. About 2,500 participants will be randomly placed into either the mentoring program or a control group without treatment.

Participant Groups

Group I: BBBS Community-Based Mentoring Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Not eligible to participate in a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program, but may participate in other mentoring programs.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Illinois at Chicago

Lead Sponsor

Trials

653

Recruited

1,574,000+

Laura and John Arnold Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

13

Recruited

30,500+

Herrera Consulting Group, LLC

Collaborator

Trials

3

Recruited

2,300+

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

1,400+

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Collaborator

Trials

2

Recruited

2,200+

Findings from Research

Mentees in foster care experienced shorter mentoring matches and were more likely to have their matches close prematurely compared to those not in foster care, indicating a need for targeted support in these relationships.

The study found that the implementation of benchmark program practices was associated with longer match lengths for mentees in foster care, suggesting that structured mentoring practices can enhance the stability of these relationships.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Supporting Mentoring Relationships of Youth in Foster Care: Do Program Practices Predict Match Length? Stelter, RL., Kupersmidt, JB., Stump, KN.[2019]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pilot study of career mentoring program for juveniles. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Testing a new model of mentoring. [2019]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Are youth mentoring programs good value-for-money? An evaluation of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Melbourne Program. [2021]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Bigs in Blue: Police officer mentoring for middle-school students-Building trust and understanding through structured programming. [2023]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Credible messenger mentoring to promote the health of youth involved in the juvenile legal system: A narrative review. [2023]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Supporting Mentoring Relationships of Youth in Foster Care: Do Program Practices Predict Match Length? [2019]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mentoring Relationship Closures in Big Brothers Big Sisters Community Mentoring Programs: Patterns and Associated Risk Factors. [2019]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Role of Program-Supported Mentoring Relationships in Promoting Youth Mental Health, Behavioral and Developmental Outcomes. [2018]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving youth mentoring interventions through research-based practice. [2008]