DuBois and Neville (1997) argue that mentoring programs were largely time limited, issue focused, group oriented, and implemented by trained professionals such as counselors, psychologists, or teachers. They also argue that well-run mentoring programs result in only a "small benefit" for the average child, and poorly designed programs that do not adequately train or screen mentors can be harmful, especially for children who have experienced neglect or abuse. They furthermore state that these at-risk youths need more counseling than an untrained volunteer can typically provide. Such children are often hypersensitive to their mentor's actions and may feel abandoned with little or no justification.
