helpingyoung people become healthy, happy, productive
adults. These studies often are not exclusive to boys;
however, they provide some strategies that research
suggests help to build boys strengths and lessen the
obstacles they face.
This brief is based on a comprehensive review of scientific
literature on the strengths and challenges that affect boys
ages 10 through 18. Major literature databases, articles that
summarize research into the wellbeing of boys and youth,
and the directories listed in the box on page 11 were
searched for relevant information. Although the review
focused on materials published in 2000 and later, influential
earlier reports and articles are also included.
The strategies for helping boys that are listed here have
been evaluated in peer-reviewed scientific studies and have
strong evidence to suggest that they work. Where
appropriate, this brief provides information about whether
the interventions included have focused on specific
subgroups of boys.
Building Individual Strengths
Pair young people with caring adult mentors. Youth who
perceive that they have support from adults in their lives
develop personal qualities, such as life skills, problem-
solving skills, and social skills, that allow them to thrive
even in the most difficult life situations and the toughest
environments. Mentoring is one way to help young
people know that adults care about them. Studies have
found that youth with mentors often feel better about
themselves and are less likely to use drugs. Mentoring
programs have been used effectively with various racial and
ethnic groups, including White, African American, and
Hispanic youth. Research suggests that mentoring programs
that use the following practices are more likely to help
young people:
Providing intensive screening of potential mentors
Training new mentors for a total of at least 6 hours and
providing ongoing training and support
Ensuring regular meetings between mentor and mentee
that total 4 hours or more per month for at least a year
Recruiting mentors who maintain a steady presence in
their mentees lives by showing up for scheduled
meetings, giving advanced notice when they need to
cancel a meeting, and calling or e-mailing when they
cant meet face-to-face
For boys in particular, features of effective mentoring
programs include:
Matching boys with male mentors who share the same
culture, race, ethnicity, or interests
Having mentors focus on teaching specific skills rather
than simply trying to develop emotional connections
Parents can contact schools, faith-based organizations, and
community organizations for boys (such as Big Brothers Big
Sisters of America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Boy
Scouts of America, and the YMCA) to determine if
mentoring programs are available nearby. In choosing a
mentoring program, parents should use the elements of
effective mentoring programs, as defined by MENTOR/
National Mentoring Partnership, as a guide.
Community members can volunteer to be mentors. They
should sign up for programs that include MENTORs
elements of effective mentoring. People interested in
mentoring can search for
Local businesses , such as movie theaters, miniature golf
courses, and bowling alleys can host mentor-mentee days.
For more information about how to get involved, they can
contact their State mentoring partnership. (For a
Help youth understand the harmful effects of drinking,
smoking, and using drugs. When adolescents think drugs
such as marijuana and cocaine are bad for them and when
they encounter social disapproval of drinking and using
drugs, they may be less likely to use substances.
By changing young peoples perceptions of smoking,
drinking, and drug use, educators have been able to keep
some adolescents from experimenting with drugs, alcohol,
and tobacco. Research is also
beginning to show that smoking prevention programs in
schools can work even better when paired with programs
that teach parents and families how to prevent their
children from smoking. Overall, programs and
interventions that prevent adolescent substance use tend to
target general populations. However, these programs can be
adapted to meet the needs for ethnic minority youth.
Elements of effective programs include:
For teachers, in the classroom:
Conducting classroom discussions about the perceived
acceptability of smoking, drinking, and doing drugs and
developing lessons aimed at changing those
perceptions
Incorporating lessons about the physical and social
harm that use or misuse of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco
can have, both in the short and long term
Initiating classroom conversations about the types of
things that may cause youth to use substances, such as
peer pressure, messages in the media, and personal
pressures (wanting to fit in, feeling depressed)
Teaching young peop
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