Research you can trust.
Standards you can verify.
Every Vantyx agent, whether for mentoring or live support, operates within a framework of published, peer-reviewed research. We don't invent best practices. We implement the ones that exist.
How we source our research
Primary sources
We read the original papers, not summaries. MENTOR.org EEP 5th edition, SAMHSA TIP-35, EEF toolkit entries. Direct. Unfiltered.
Ingestion pipeline
Documents are chunked, embedded via OpenAI, and stored in Pinecone. Each agent response is retrieved from this corpus, not hallucinated.
Continuous review
Research evolves. Our knowledge base is versioned. When MENTOR.org updates the EEP, we update the embeddings.
Mentoring research corpus
MENTOR.org
- โElements of Effective Practice (EEP) 5th Edition, the gold standard framework
- โSMART goals approach embedded across all 8 elements of quality
- โ8 elements: recruitment, screening, training, matching, monitoring, support, closure, evaluation
Session structure, goal-setting prompts, quality measurement across every mentoring agent.
SAMHSA
- โMental health first aid protocols for youth-facing practitioners
- โCrisis response protocols, TIP-35 series
- โTrauma-informed approaches improve outcomes across all demographics
Crisis safeguarding detection, wellness agent conversation prompts.
Youth.gov
- โPositive Youth Development (PYD) framework, strengths-based, not deficit-based
- โProtective factors: caring relationships, high expectations, meaningful participation
- โFederal synthesis of 30+ years of youth development research
Youth agent knowledge base, resilience-building conversation strategies.
OJJDP / NMRC
- โ32% reduction in violent behaviour (Big Brothers Big Sisters study)
- โMentored youth 55% more likely to attend university
- โConsistent mentoring reduces truancy and school exclusions
Impact reporting, outcome tracking, evidence for programme ROI.
EEF
- โAcademic mentoring effect size: +4 months of additional progress
- โMetacognition and self-regulation: +7 months
- โTargeted support for disadvantaged pupils shows strongest gains
Academic support agent type, evidence-backed questioning techniques.
Anna Freud Centre
- โ75% of mental health conditions start before age 18
- โSchools-based support is not therapy, clear boundary definitions
- โSafeguarding in digital contexts requires explicit design, not afterthoughts
Safeguarding boundaries, wellbeing agent limitations, language guidelines.
CEBM, UMass Boston
- โStructured sessions show 2ร better outcomes than unstructured
- โMatch quality is the single strongest predictor of success
- โDosage matters: 12+ sessions show significantly better results
Agent session quality metrics, dosage recommendations, relationship quality measurement.
Support agent research
Customer support standards
Research on AI support response time expectations shows users expect sub-2-second responses. CSAT score benchmarks for AI agents average 4.2/5 when knowledge bases are properly curated. Escalation rates below 15% indicate healthy agent coverage.
- โZendesk CX Trends 2024, response time benchmarks
- โForrester Wave: AI-Powered Agents, quality scoring
- โGartner: 80% of support orgs will use generative AI by 2025
Boundaries & compliance
AI support agents MUST NOT provide medical advice, legal counsel, or financial recommendations. We implement hard-coded refusal logic for these categories. Our approach is aligned with EU AI Act Article 6 high-risk system requirements.
- โMedical diagnoses or treatment suggestions
- โLegal advice or liability opinions
- โFinancial investment recommendations
- โPersonal data processing beyond session scope
โWe believe the most dangerous AI agents are the ones with no guardrails. The second most dangerous are the ones with guardrails no one has read.โ
Open documentation
Every research source is listed. Every framework is cited. No black boxes.
Versioned knowledge base
When research updates, our embeddings update. You always get the latest evidence.
Human escalation always available
AI agents are tools, not replacements. Human support is one click away, always.
See how it works in practice
From research to real sessions, mentoring and support.
See how it works โReady to deploy your first agent?
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