Research shows lifelong influence of mentors: But there’s a catch
by Jean E. Rhodes
It almost goes without saying that natural mentors can be enormously influential– from early childhood through adolescence and early adulthood. But, because such relationships can not be randomly assigned, it is actually a bit difficult to untangle their causes from their effects. Some pepole are “mentor magnets” and some communities are teeming with the kinds of mentors who can help them succeed. As such the very characteristics and conditions that enable youth to attract the support of caring adults (e.g., agreeable personalities, social skills, intense interests, well-resourced schools and communities) are likely to also account for their success. Many studies of natural mentoring have attempted to statistically control for this confound. More recently, scholars have identified youth who have similar propensities to forge strong relationships and then compared those with and without mentors. In a study, led by Professor Matt Hagler, we utilized counterfactual analysis to examine the impact of previous natural mentoring relationships on academic, vocational, and psychosocial well-being at midlife. The findings point to both the importance of mentoring, and the role of ties with teachers, coaches and other adults who can connect youth to new opportunities.
Hagler, M. & Rhodes, J. (2018). The long-term impact of natural mentoring relationships: A counterfactual analysis. American Journal of Community Psychology, 62, 175–188. (excerpted)
In the current study, we examined the long-term impact of mentoring using the nationally representative, longitudinal Add Health dataset. We conducted counterfactual analysis, a more stringent test of causality than regression-based approaches. Compared to their un-mentored counterparts, adults (ages 33 to 42) who had a natural mentor during adolescence or emerging adulthood reported higher educational attainment, more time spent volunteering, and more close friends, after controlling for a range of confounding factors. However, outcomes differed when mentors were classified as “strong ties” (e.g., grandparents, friends) or “weak ties” (e.g., teachers, coaches, employers). Having a strong-tie mentor was associated with having more close friends and a lower income. In contrast, having a weak-tie mentor was associated with higher educational attainment, higher income, and more time spent volunteering. These findings suggest that natural mentoring relationships can exert lasting influence on young people’s developmental trajectories, and that naturally occurring weak ties mentoring relationships appear to be important resources that can promote long-term academic, vocational, and social well-being.
