One consistent, caring mentor measurably lowered arrests and substance use — and the benefits showed up years later.
The situation, the move, the outcome.
Big Brothers Big Sisters pairs young people with a screened, supported volunteer mentor. In randomized trials, mentored youth were 54% less likely to have been arrested and 41% less likely to use substances at 18 months, with gains in school engagement, self-control, grit and family functioning. A four-year trial found 20-40% reductions in substance use and delinquent behavior, and long-run data link mentoring to higher earnings and college enrollment.
Why it matters beyond one family.
Researchers call the combined evidence 'highly promising' rather than definitive — some effects attenuate over time. But the core lesson is durable: a sustained relationship with one caring adult changes trajectories.
How to apply it.
- If your teen could use another supportive adult, seek a quality mentoring match.
- Prioritize consistency — the benefit comes from a sustained relationship.
- Support school or community mentoring programs that are evidence-based.
Concrete next steps.
- Explore Big Brothers Big Sisters or similar vetted programs locally.
- Encourage healthy mentor relationships (coaches, teachers, relatives) too.
- Give the match time; trajectories shift over months and years, not weeks.
Read it for yourself.
- Social Programs That Work — Big Brothers Big Sisters evidence evidencebasedprograms.org ↗
- Children and Youth Services Review — BBBS community mentoring RCT sciencedirect.com ↗
- Arnold Ventures — the results are in on Big Brothers Big Sisters arnoldventures.org ↗
Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7) · Text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line) · Find a child psychiatrist at aacap.org · For immediate danger, call 911.