Overview of Review Activities
The National Mentoring Resource Center Research Board reviews research regarding the effectiveness of specific mentoring programs, as well as different practices and resources for use in programs.
- Mentoring programs may be focused entirely on mentoring or may include mentoring as one of several program components.
- Mentoring practices are strategies or approaches that can be used in implementing one or more components of a mentoring program. Examples include youth-initiated mentoring and pre-match training of mentors. Such practices can often be implemented in a wide variety of program models and settings.
- Resources are materials developed by the mentoring field to support the implementation of programs and specific types of practices. These include guidebooks, curricula, handbooks, tools, and other materials that have been developed to support the implementation of quality mentoring services for youth.
- To learn more about how these reviews are conducted, click here.
Research Board
The National Mentoring Resource Center Research Board, chaired by Dr. David DuBois at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is comprised of prominent researchers who have expertise in areas that are representative of the diversity in youth mentoring practice with regard to program models, settings for implementation, and specific populations and outcomes of interest. In the future, a process will be in place to nominate additional members.
The Research Board’s primary role is to assess and report on the evidence that bears on the effectiveness of different mentoring programs, practices, and resources that are intended to promote positive youth outcomes, particularly those relating to prevention of delinquent behavior, victimization and juvenile justice system involvement.
The work of the Research Board is also supported by Kelly Stewart, Ph.D., Fasika Alem, Ph.D., and Naida Silverthorn, Ph.D., at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The current Research Board members and their primary areas of expertise are as follows:
| Research Board Members | Areas of Expertise |
|---|---|
| David DuBois, Ph.D. (University of Illinois at Chicago) Chair | Youth mentoring program evaluation; mentoring and positive youth development; mentoring relationship assessment. |
| Gabriel Kuperminc, Ph.D. (Georgia State University) Associate Chair | Group and team mentoring; integration of mentoring into prevention and positive youth development programs; gender and cultural issues in mentoring. |
| Amy Anderson, Ph.D. (University of North Texas) | Positive youth development; mentor training; cultural humility in mentoring; youth participatory action research. |
| Crystal S. Aschenbrener, DSW, MSW, APSW (Waubonsee Community College) | Educational programs for Native American youth; mixed methodologies, with an emphasis on program and organizational assessments. |
| Edmond P. Bowers, Ph.D. (Clemson University) | Mentoring and positive youth development; natural mentors; relations between parenting and mentoring; intentional self regulation. |
| Tim Brezina, PhD (Georgia State University) | Causes and correlates of youth crime and violence; criminological theory; the role of agency and future expectations in desistance from crime. |
| Timothy Cavell, Ph.D. (University of Arkansas) | School-based mentoring; mentoring interventions for aggressive and bullied children; mentoring for youth in military families. |
| Molly Cory, Ph.D. (DePaul University) | After-school programs; program development and evaluation; characteristics and outcomes for mentors and mentees; systems framework; youth participatory action research. |
| Nancy L. Deutsch, Ph.D. (University of Virginia) | Group mentoring; mentoring and positive youth development; gender and cultural issues in mentoring; natural mentoring. |
| Mark Eddy, Ph.D. (University of Texas Austin) | Mentoring of children of incarcerated parents; parent training and support; juvenile justice and conduct disorder/delinquency prevention. |
| Katie Edwards, Ph.D. (University of Nebraska) | Strengths-focused, culturally grounded prevention of sexual and related forms of violence among minoritized youth, especially LGBTQ+ youth and Native/Indigenous youth. |
| Chris Elledge, Ph.D. (University of Tennessee at Knoxville) | School-based mentoring; child aggression, bullying, peer victimization, peer relationships, parenting, child adjustment, prevention. |
| Gizem Erdem, Ph.D. (Koç University, Istanbul) | Youth mentoring, at-risk adolescents and families, positive youth development, substance abuse prevention and treatment, program evaluation. |
| Polly Gipson, Ph.D. (University of Michigan) | Youth mentoring and mental health/adaptive outcomes; evidence-based clinical practices; trauma- and bereavement-informed assessment and intervention; suicide risk assessment and intervention; community-based participatory research. |
| Grace Gowdy, PhD (Education Northwest) | Informal mentoring (i.e., natural mentoring); youth-initiated mentoring; upward mobility. |
| Aisha Griffith, Ph.D. (University of Illinois-Chicago) | Adolescence; trusting youth-adult relationships; out-of-school time; Black students’ interactions with school adults; qualitative research. |
| Mary Agnes Hamilton, Ph.D. (Cornell University) | Mentoring and positive youth development; natural mentoring; mentoring for older adolescents. |
| Stephen Hamilton, Ph.D. (Cornell University) | Mentoring and positive youth development; natural mentoring; mentoring for older adolescents. |
| Stephanie Hawkins, Ph.D. (RTI International) | Youth mentoring; girls and delinquency prevention; youth violence prevention; teen dating violence prevention; youth substance abuse prevention. |
| Carla Herrera, Ph.D (Independent consultant) | School-based mentoring; group mentoring; mentor training and support. |
| Noelle Hurd, Ph.D. (University of Virginia) | Promoting healthy adolescent development among marginalized youth, natural mentoring, intergenerational relationships with nonparental adults. |
| Roger Jarjoura, Ph.D. (American Institutes for Research) | Mentoring youth who are system-involved, training and support of mentors, youth mentoring program evaluation. |
| Kristian Jones, Ph.D. (University of Washington) | Youth mentoring among Black youth and families; positive youth development; prevention and early intervention; mental health and wellness. |
| Michael J. Karcher, Ed.D., Ph.D. (University of Texas at San Antonio) | Youth mentoring program evaluation; cross-age peer mentoring; matching practices; types of mentoring interactions; mentoring program outcomes assessments, specifically connectedness to school. |
| Michelle R. Kaufman, Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University) | Youth mentoring; program evaluation; gender; LGBT; sexual health; health disparities. |
| Thomas E. Keller, Ph.D. (Portland State University) | Development and influence of mentoring relationships; social networks in mentoring interventions; evaluation of program innovations and enhancements; professional development of program staff; mentoring of undergraduates in science, biomedical, and health fields. |
| Mariah Kornbluh, PhD (University of Oregon) | Youth-participatory action research; youth civic development; critical consciousness; social networks. |
| Sally Lindsay, Ph.D. (Bloorview Research Institute; University of Toronto) | Mentoring for children and youth with disabilities (group-based, e-mentoring, peer-to-peer, school, and workplace). |
| Michael D. Lyons, Ph.D., NCSP (University of Virginia) | School-based mentoring; social-emotional development. |
| Sam McQuillin, Ph.D. (University of South Carolina) | School-based mentoring; motivational interviewing. |
| Theresa Melton, PhD (Clemson University) | Positive youth development; youth-adult relationships; mentoring program evaluation; mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods. |
| Lidia Monjaras-Gaytan, Ph.D. (Loyola University Chicago) | Natural mentoring relationships; historically underrepresented college students; institutional agents. |
| Liliokanaio Peaslee, Ph.D. (James Madison University) | Mentoring and youth development; criminal justice policy; university-community collaborations; education policy; social welfare policy. |
| Julia Pryce, Ph.D., LCSW (Loyola University Chicago) | System-involved youth; mentoring relationship quality; gender-specific mentoring; school-based mentoring; qualitative research methods. |
| Bernadette Sanchez, Ph.D. (DePaul University) | Cultural issues in mentoring; natural mentoring; mentoring and academic achievement. |
| Christian Rummell, Ph.D. (Independent consultant) | Mentoring LGBTQ youth; qualitative research methods; training and technical assistance delivery. |
| Renee Spencer, Ed.D., LICSW (Boston University) | Qualitative research; mentoring relationship characteristics; parent involvement; match maintenance and closure. |
| Rebecca Stelter, PhD (Innovation Research & Training) | Training for mentors, mentees, mentoring program staff; mentoring program best practices; mentoring program evaluation; technical assistance for mentoring programs; mentoring children who have experienced parental incarceration and children who have experienced foster care. |
| Amy Syvertsen, Ph.D. (American Institutes for Research) | Youth civic development and engagement; positive youth development; developmental relationships; adolescent prevention science. |
| Manolya Tanyu, Ph.D. (American Institutes of Research) | Social and emotional learning; mentoring; violence prevention; youth-serving systems. |
| Heather Taussig, Ph.D. (University of Denver) | Time-limited mentoring; prevention science; mentoring children in the child welfare system; mentoring and mental health. |
| Amanda Teye, Ph.D. (James Madison University) | Community-based outcomes assessment; impact evaluation; assessment development. |
| Lindsey Weiler, Ph.D. (University of Minnesota) | Youth mentoring within a prevention framework; family systems and mentoring; group mentoring. |
Associate Research Board
| Associate Research Board | Areas of Expertise |
|---|---|
| Amanda L. Davis, M.A. (University of South Carolina) | School-based mentoring; natural mentoring; positive youth development. |
| Molly Cory, Ph.D. (DePaul University) | After-school programs; program development and evaluation; characteristics and outcomes for mentors and mentees; systems framework; youth participatory action research. |
| Westley Fallavollita, M.Ed. (University of Virginia) | Positive youth development; mentor-mentee relationships; mentoring for loneliness and social isolation. |
| Yesenia Garcia Murillo, M.A. (DePaul University) | Formal and natural mentoring relationships in learning environments; positive youth development; historically underrepresented college students. |
| Joseph Gardella, Ph.D. (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) | Critical mentoring; natural mentoring; group mentoring; positive youth development; school-based mentoring. |
| Tyris L. Gillis, M.Ed. (University of North Carolina at Charlotte) | Peer mentoring; college students with marginalized and minoritized identities; Black men’s identity development and psychological well-being. |
| Yunqi He, M.A. (University of Minnesota) | Youth mentoring within a prevention framework; at-risk adolescents and families; socio-emotional development. |
| Maritza Salsido, M.Ed. (Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg) | Talent development of young professionals; virtual learning ecosystems; mentoring in Latinoamerica; cultural issues in mentoring. |
| Lidia Monjaras-Gaytan, M.A. (DePaul University) | Natural mentoring relationships; historically underrepresented college students; institutional agents. |
| Wendy de los Reyes, M.S.Ed. (DePaul University) | Immigrant and refugee adjustment; youth sociopolitical development; civic engagement; critical consciousness. |
| Savannah Simpson, M.S. (University of South Carolina) | Mentoring relationship quality; mentor and youth characteristics; cultural issues in mentoring. |
Reviews of Mentoring Programs
Reviews of mentoring programs are carried out in accordance with the established procedures of CrimeSolutions.gov. The National Mentoring Resource Center Research Board periodically searches the mentoring research literature to identify programs to be reviewed. To be reviewed, both the program and its evidence base must pass an initial screening based on CrimeSolutions.gov’s eligibility requirements. Eligible programs are then placed in a queue to be reviewed. Prioritization for review is based on a number of programmatic and methodological considerations. These include the extent to which a program’s aims and practices are aligned with areas of greatest identified need for the mentoring field. You can also nominate additional programs for review here.
CrimeSolutions.gov focuses on what works in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services, emphasizing program outcomes in domains such as delinquency, anti-social behaviors, and substance abuse. Mentoring programs are reviewed by Research Board members and Post-Doctoral Research Associates of the National Mentoring Resource Center who have been trained and certified in CrimeSolutions.gov review procedures. The review process for each program is overseen by Dr. David DuBois, Chair of the Research Board, except in those instances where a conflict of interest exists.
The evidence base for each program is classified using the following key:
Effective
Program has strong evidence that it achieves justice-related goals when implemented with fidelity.
Promising
Program has some evidence that it achieves justice-related goals when implemented with fidelity.
No Effects
Program has strong evidence that it did not achieve justice-related goals (or had harmful effects).
Insufficient Research
Some relevant research may be available but is inconclusive. More research is needed to determine effectiveness.
A single study icon is used to identify programs that have been evaluated with only one study. A multiple studies icon is used to represent a greater extent of evidence supporting the evidence rating. The icon depicts programs that have more than one study demonstrating effects in a consistent direction.
The listing of each program on the National Mentoring Resource Center website includes this overall classification along with a link to the accompanying profile of the program and its evidence base on CrimeSolutions.gov. Also included are Insights for Practitioners. These commentaries highlight key takeaways, program design considerations, and implementation tips. For more information about the program review methodology, please visit CrimeSolutions.gov.
More detailed information about the procedures used by the Research Board to identify and review youth mentoring programs can be found here:
Reviews of Mentoring Practices
The National Mentoring Resource Center Research Board identifies practices to review based on periodic searches of the mentoring research literature as well as various forms of outreach to the mentoring field. To be reviewed, a practice must have been evaluated for effectiveness in one or more studies that meet established criteria for rigor. Eligible practices are then prioritized for review based on several considerations, including the extent to which the practice aligns with areas of greatest identified need for the mentoring field. You can nominate additional practices for review here.
The Research Board reviews the evidence base for each practice using a standardized protocol and scoring instrument. Based on this review, the evidence base for the practice’s effectiveness is classified according to the same categories as those described above for programs.
The listing for each practice provides information about the practice’s structure and implementation, the program settings where it has been used, the research that bears on its effectiveness, and information on how to access relevant resources and supporting materials.
More detailed information about the procedures used by the Research Board to identify and review practices, as well as the instrument that is used in the review process, can be found here:
Reviews of Mentoring Resources
The National Mentoring Resource Center relies primarily on nominations from the mentoring field to identify resources to review. You can nominate resources for review here.
- Tier 1 review is used when a resource has been evaluated for effectiveness in research that meets established criteria for rigor. This research is reviewed using a standard protocol and scoring instrument to arrive at a classification of the evidence base for the resource in a manner similar to programs and practices (see above). Only those resources classified as Promising or Effective are listed on the National Mentoring Resource Center website.
- Tier 2 review is used for any resource that has not yet been rigorously evaluated for effectiveness. The purpose of this review is to ensure that the resource does not conflict significantly with other relevant research. Only those resources that pass this screening are listed on the National Mentoring Resource Center website.
The listing for each resource includes a brief description, a summary of applicable research (Tier 1 reviewed resources only), and information for accessing and using the resource. Most resources are directly available for download from the National Mentoring Resource Center website or elsewhere online.
More detailed information about the procedures used by the Research Board to review resources can be found here: