Boston, Mass. -- Teens who identify at least one influential, "natural" mentor in their life – a person not assigned by a formal mentoring program – report that they have a higher sense of self and are more likely to take risks that affect their lives positively, says new data released from the 2006 SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and Liberty Mutual seventh annual Teens Today study. 

In the study, 46 percent of teens with a mentor reported a high sense of self versus 25 percent of teens who did not identify a natural mentor in their life. Additionally, teens with mentors reported that they are significantly more likely than teens without mentors to challenge themselves by taking positive risks (38 percent versus 28 percent), such as joining an athletic team or volunteering to perform community service. Notably, more than half of teens (56 percent) say the absence of a mentor would negatively affect them.

Natural mentoring occurs outside of a formal mentoring program that may match teens with a dedicated mentor. Natural mentors can include family members (such as parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents), other adults (such as teachers, guidance counselors, coaches, neighbors, clergy) and peers – people who may have opportunities for interaction with some frequency.

In one of the first concentrated studies on natural mentoring, more than 3,300 middle school and high school teens across the country were surveyed.

The study also reveals that the breadth and depth of mentoring – the number of mentors teens have or the range of topics teens can discuss with a mentor – significantly influences decisions teens make around drinking, drug use, and sex.

"This new research demonstrates that there are a whole host of opportunities for adults to influence teenagers outside of formal or planned mentoring programs," said Stephen Wallace, the chairman and chief executive officer of the national SADD organization who also has broad experience as a school psychologist and adolescent counselor. "We see this research as a call to action to adults who interact with teenagers – either in their professions or in their daily routines. This research shows that adults who make extra efforts to connect with teenagers can have a profound impact in guiding our nation's youth."

For more information on this and past years' Teens Today studies from SADD and Liberty Mutual, please visit www.sadd.org or www.libertymutual.com.