Program Description

""Big Brothers Big Sisters operates in communities all across the United States - urban and rural, Big and Little. Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors work with children in the community, in their schools, on military bases, and many places in between. Our unique brand of one-to-one mentoring has a Big impact all over the nation. What do we achieve? Big Brothers Big Sisters helps children achieve success in school, helps them avoid risky behaviors such as getting into fights and trying drugs and alcohol, and helps them improve their self-confidence. We hold ourselves accountable to our supporters by regularly measuring our impact. Whom do we serve? Big Brothers Big Sisters seeks to change the lives of children facing adversity between 6 and 18 years of age. Our network of volunteers, donors and supporters comes from all walks of life, all backgrounds, all corners of the country. What do we do? Our unique brand of one-to-one mentoring, in which a child facing adversity is carefully matched with a caring adult mentor in a relationship supported by professional Big Brothers Big Sisters staff members, changes lives for the better forever.""

Cost

No cost.

Intended Population

• Intensified intervention

Grade

• Elementary School
• Middle School
• High School

Intended Group Size

• Individual

ELL/DLL

• Full

Multisensory Applications

• Yes

Delivery Method

• Print-based delivery

Scripted

• None

Comprehensive or Skill Specific

• Comprehensive

Placement Tests

• No

Accelerated Learning

• No

Assessment to Monitor Skills Mastery

• No

Error Correction Built In

• No

Fidelity Measures Provided by Publisher

• Unspecified

Research Summary

Several peer-reviewed studies have reported positive and neutral effects of the BBBS community-based and school-based programs. Specifically, DeWit et al. (2007) found positive effects of the community-based program on children's social skills, emotional well-being, and teacher support. Herrera et al. (2011) found positive effects of the school-based program on academic performance and student's perceptions of their academic abilities, but found no effect on classroom effort, rates of problem behavior or quality of social relationships when compared to control students. Grossman and Tierney (1998) found that youth in the BBBS program were less likely to engage in negative behaviors and more likely to have better family relationships at 18 month follow up. Herrera et al. (2023) found BBBS to increase youth wellbeing and decrease problem behaviors when compared to control group peers. No efficacy studies reported negative effects, but DeWit et al. (2016) cautions that early termination of relationships (prior to 12 months) may negatively affect the potential impact of BBBS. Moreover, Erdem et al. (2024) illustrated how potential positive effect of the program may extend to family functioning and aspects of parental well-being. Given the peer-reviewed empirical support, there is sufficient evidence to support this program as an evidence-based practice.

Study Citations

De Wit, D. J., Lipman, E., Manzano-Munguia, M., Bisanz, J., Graham, K., Offord, D. R., ... & Shaver, K. (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, 29(3), 383-404.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2006.09.003

Herrera, C., Grossman, J. B., Kauh, T. J., & McMaken, J. (2011). Mentoring in schools: an impact study of big brothers big sisters school-based mentoring. Child development, 82(1), 346–361. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01559.x

Grossman, J. B., & Tierney, J. P. (1998). Does Mentoring Work?: An Impact Study of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. Evaluation Review, 22(3), 403–426. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193841X9802200304

Herrera, C., DuBois, D. L., Heubach, J., & Grossman, J. B. (2023). Effects of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Community-Based Mentoring Program on social-emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes of participating youth: A randomized controlled trial. Children and Youth Services Review, 144, 106742.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106742

DeWit, D. J., DuBois, D., Erdem, G., Larose, S., Lipman, E. L., & Spencer, R. (2016). Mentoring relationship closures in Big Brothers Big Sisters community mentoring programs: Patterns and associated risk factors. American Journal of Community Psychology, 57(1-2), 60-72.https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12023

Erdem, G., DuBois, D. L., Larose, S., De Wit, D. J., & Lipman, E. L. (2024). Associations of youth mentoring with parent emotional well-being and family functioning: Longitudinal findings from a study of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. Children and Youth Services Review, 156, Article 107384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107384

Evidence Base (ESSA)

• Strong

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

• Evidence-based practice

Additional Reviews

• https://evidencebasedprograms.org/document/big-brothers-big-sisters-evidence-summary/
• https://k12engagement.unl.edu/strategy-briefs/Mentoring_0.pdf