Effects of a Counselor‐Facilitated Rite of Passage Group on Behavioral Outcomes in At‐Risk Adolescent Boys: Evidence From the Quest Project®

INTRODUCTION: At-risk adolescent boys exhibit elevated rates of behavioral problems, interpersonal difficulties, and emotional dysregulation-patterns shaped by multiple risk factors, including disrupted family relationships, and compounded by masculine gender socialization norms that discourage emotional expression and help-seeking. Controlled outcome studies of group interventions specifically designed for at-risk adolescent boys remain rare. METHODS: Using a controlled pre-post design, we examined the effects of a 10-week counselor-facilitated rite of passage group-the Quest Project-on teacher-rated behavioral outcomes. The Behavioral Evaluation Scale-4 was administered to teachers of 77 male adolescents (ages 11-14; 40 treatment, 37 comparison) attending middle schools in a midwestern metropolitan area of the United States. Data were drawn from archived clinical and school records (2017). RESULTS: Groups were equivalent at pretest. After correction for multiple comparisons, between-group analyses revealed a robust effect on Interpersonal Difficulties (d = 0.69, p = 0.004), which survived both Bonferroni and Holm-Bonferroni correction, and a suggestive effect on Inappropriate Behavior (d = 0.61, p = 0.010, Holm only) warranting replication. Treatment participants improved significantly in interpersonal functioning, while comparison participants worsened in behavioral regulation. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention was associated with improved interpersonal functioning in at-risk adolescent boys, alongside a suggestive association with reduced behavioral decline that warrants replication. These divergent trajectories suggest that the absence of structured support is not a neutral condition for at-risk boys. Structured group interventions combining relational safety, masculine identity exploration, and expressive process can produce meaningful change during early adolescence. Implications for intervention design and adolescent development are discussed.