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services were more likely to have a shorter relationship (Grossman & Rhodes). This is a

key point because mentoring programs are increasingly seen as a potential way to help

the adolescents at greatest risk for emotional and behavioral problems. Therapeutic

mentoring programs have been developed specifically to address this issue (Cavell &

Hughes, 2000 Jackson, 2002).

 Undergraduate psychology students enrolled in a 15-hour per week practicum,

served as mentors for junior high school students with significant academic and

behavioral problems (Jackson, 2002). The mentees had declines in parent-reported

internalizing (depressed/anxious mood) and externalizing (behavioral) problems. They

did not show improvements in adaptive behaviors or teacher-reported problems.

However, other school related data was promising (i.e., reduced number of infractions).

This program is an innovative way to bridge mentoring and professional services.

However, the evaluation has methodological issues that plague much of the other

program evaluation research. Lack of controls within the field of program evaluation is

often a necessary reality.

 The types of mentoring program implementation are as varied as the research

methodologies. Mentoring may take place in the community, in the school, or both.

Mentoring programs have been initiated for elementary school, middle school, and high

school students. Programs often include mentoring as one piece of a broader intervention.

This makes it difficult to differentiate effects of mentoring alone. However, researchers

have evaluated outcomes from aggression (Cavell & Hughes, 2000) to school attitudes

and classroom behavior (Dennison, 2000) to self-efficacy and future possible selves (Lee

& Cramond, 1999).