Children are less likely to indulge in dangerous, criminal activities if they are guided by attentive mentors who make them feel like they matter, a study has found.
Researchers examined the role of natural mentors - informal mentors outside of one's relatives - in light of delinquency and dangerousness outcomes of adolescents using data collected via interviews in 1994, 1996, and 2000.
In the dataset, the participants reported whether in the previous year they had participated in various delinquent activities that included lying to their parents, shoplifting, getting into a physical fight, hurting someone, running away, taking a car without permission, stealing, burglary, using a weapon, selling drugs, and more.
When older, they were also asked about identity theft, deliberately writing bad checks, and being part of a gang.
The study, published in the journal Children and Youth Services Review, found that delinquency and destructive behaviour decrease significantly in students who are guided by a mentor.
"If you are made to feel useful and important to others, especially in this case by a non-kin and education-based mentor, then you are more likely to have a reduction in delinquency and dangerous behaviour," said Margaret Kelley, from the University of Kansas in the US.
The researchers included factors such as the type of mentor and characteristics of the mentoring relationship as well to identify clearly what could make for a successful mentoring relationship.
The findings could be encouraging for educators, parents and those who work with youths, especially in trying to prevent at-risk adolescents from heading down a path of delinquency and dangerous behaviour that could jeopardise their future and possibly put them in contact with the criminal justice system.
"Making them feel appreciated and providing a sense of belonging for them at this crucial point in their adolescence can change those trajectories," Kelley said.
The study also foregrounds the importance of helping children establish non-kin mentoring relationships early.
"Adolescents identified mentors who made an important difference in their life, and those who had non-kin adult mentors also said they mattered to other adults more.It seems like if they feel like they are important to other people; that's the mechanism that's making this work," Kelley explained.
Males found guidance and advice from their mentors while women imbibed emotional nurturing.
The findings also indicated the importance of female mentors in serving as positive role models.
"This is timely given renewed interest in women's rights and the increased visibility of women in leadership roles," Kelley said.
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