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Duration of Mentoring Relationship Predicts Child Well-Being: Evidence from a Danish Community-Based Mentoring Program

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Piil Damm

    (TrygFonden’s Centre for Child Research, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University, 8210 Aarhus, Denmark)

  • Emma von Essen

    (TrygFonden’s Centre for Child Research, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University, 8210 Aarhus, Denmark
    Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, 751 26 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Astrid Jæger Jensen

    (TrygFonden’s Centre for Child Research, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University, 8210 Aarhus, Denmark)

  • Freja Kerrn-Jespersen

    (TrygFonden’s Centre for Child Research, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University, 8210 Aarhus, Denmark)

  • Sarah van Mastrigt

    (TrygFonden’s Centre for Child Research, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University, 8210 Aarhus, Denmark
    Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark)

Abstract

While a substantial body of literature suggests that lasting community mentoring relationships can have a range of positive effects on youths, little is known about these effects in the Nordic welfare context, where community mentees may have lower risk profiles compared to many previous samples. This study explores how the duration (length) of child mentoring relationships predicts parental perceptions of child well-being among 197 children served by Denmark’s most extensive community-based youth mentoring program. We find that children who have had a mentor for at least one year are perceived to have significantly higher well-being. In contrast, we find no significant differences in well-being between children who had mentors for less than one year and children on a waiting list. Previous research, conducted in primarily North American contexts, finds that longer mentoring relationships substantially improve school behavior and reduce risk taking. Our results add to the literature by indicating that a minimum mentoring relationship duration of one year appears to be similarly important in promoting well-being for youths involved in community-based mentoring programs in a Nordic welfare context.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Piil Damm & Emma von Essen & Astrid Jæger Jensen & Freja Kerrn-Jespersen & Sarah van Mastrigt, 2022. "Duration of Mentoring Relationship Predicts Child Well-Being: Evidence from a Danish Community-Based Mentoring Program," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2906-:d:762389
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Limor Goldner & Adar Ben-Eliyahu, 2021. "Unpacking Community-Based Youth Mentoring Relationships: An Integrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-29, May.
    2. DuBois, D.L. & Silverthorn, N., 2005. "Natural mentoring relationships and adolescent health: Evidence from a national study," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(3), pages 518-524.
    3. De Wit, David J. & Lipman, Ellen & Manzano-Munguia, Maria & Bisanz, Jeffrey & Graham, Kathryn & Offord, David R. & O'Neill, Elizabeth & Pepler, Deborah & Shaver, Karen, 2007. "Feasibility of a randomized controlled trial for evaluating the effectiveness of the Big Brothers Big Sisters community match program at the national level," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 383-404, March.
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