Entries by Ariel Ervin

New study investigates the contextual antecedents and well-being indicators associated with the presence of supportive nonparent adults for young people

Hagler, M. A., & Poon, C. Y. S. (2023). Contextual antecedents and well-being indicators associated with children’s and adolescents’ access to supportive nonparent adults. Journal of Community Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.23016 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest: Evidence indicates that having supportive non-parent adults (SNPAs) correlates with a myriad of positive youth outcomes. Research shows that longer-lasting and […]

From idea to action: 5 strategies to build students’ relationships

By Julia Freeland Fisher, Reprinted from the Christensen Institute By now, many educators have probably heard about the sweeping Nature study that revealed that whom you interacted with as you grew up is a major determinant of future economic success. Specifically, children who had connections with peers from higher-income families ended up with higher incomes […]

How initial perceptions of the mentor role influence autonomy-supportive or controlling traits in mentoring approaches

Javornicky Brumovska, T., & Seidlova Malkova, G. (2023). Initial perception of the mentoring role and related mentors’ approach of autonomy support or control in formal youth mentoring relationships. Journal of Community Psychology.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.23004 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest Mentors’ approaches to interacting with mentees play an essential role in establishing beneficial and supportive formal […]

WT Grant Foundation: Emergency Exits: Avenues for New Research to Improve Youth Outcomes after COVID

By Anya Kamenetz, reprinted from the William T. Grant Foundation Journalist Anya Kamenetz is a writer who makes extensive use of research in her reporting—so much so that, in 2022, the American Educational Research Association recognized her with its Excellence In Media Reporting On Education Research Award. But as she learned while reporting on the […]

How Building Relationship Skills Supports Student Success

By and reprinted from the Search Institute Young people develop resilience to face life’s challenges when they have at least one well-rounded, strong, and sustained relationship in their lives. And they begin to thrive when they experience a broader web of relationships in their homes, schools, programs, and communities. But developmentally influential relationships do not […]

How do enhanced mentoring program practices for children of incarcerated caregivers affect youth and match outcomes?

Stelter, R. L., Stump, K. N., Rhodes, J. E., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2023). A randomized controlled trial of enhanced mentoring program practices for children of incarcerated caregivers: Assessing impacts on youth and match outcomes. Journal of Community Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.23017 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest: Parental incarceration is an adverse childhood experience that often leads […]

The Benefits of Virtually Mentoring Youth

By and reprinted from the Annie E. Casey Foundation Youth men­tor­ing pro­grams were dri­ven to adapt and embrace vir­tu­al options dur­ing the COVID-19 pan­dem­ic. A study — fund­ed by the Annie E. Casey Foun­da­tion — deliv­ers insights that mem­bers in the men­tor­ing field can use to refine their vir­tu­al approach­es and inform fur­ther innovation. Men­tor­ing […]

Do program practices matter for mentors? New study has answers

Keller, T. E., Drew, A. L., Herrera, C., Clark-Shim, H., & Spencer, R. (2023). Do program practices matter for mentors?: How implementation of empirically supported program practices is associated with youth mentoring relationship quality. Journal of Community Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.23019 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest: The quality and nature of mentor-mentee relationships have an influential impact […]

WT Grant Foundation: Reducing Educational Inequality After the COVID-19 Pandemic

By Adam Gamoran and Richard J. Murnane, reprinted from the William T. Grant Foundation When President Barack Obama declared in December 2013 that the stifling combination of growing inequality and lack of upward mobility constituted “the defining challenge of our time,” he pointed to education as a pathway to economic opportunity (Obama, 2013).1 Nevertheless, the […]