Mentoring Research

Research explores commitment in mentoring relationships

Gettings, P.E., & Wilson, S.R. (2014). Examining commitment and relational maintenance in formal youth mentoring relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 1-27. Introduction: This study uses a social exchange perspective in order to investigate mentors’ commitment and their specific relational maintenance behaviors in the context of formal youth mentoring relationships. Specifically, the study pulls […]

Research applies sociological concepts to mentoring programs

Stanton-Salazar, R. (2016). Contributions of social capital theory and social network models in advancing the connection between students’ school-based learning and community-based opportunities for pursuing interest-driven learning. Paper presented at Power Brokers: Building Youth Social Capital through Connected Learning. University of California, Irvine.   Summarized by Justin Preston In a paper presented in the Fall […]

New study on the role of mentoring relationships and access to social capital

Shier, M. L., Gouthro, S., & de Goias, R. (2018). The pursuit of social capital among adolescent high school aged girls: The role of formal mentor-mentee relationships. Children and Youth Services Review, 93, 276-282 Summarized by Cyanea Poon & Rachel Thompson Notes of Interest: This study focus on how social capital contributes to the occupational attainment goals […]

How ‘grit’ takes a toll on black college students

By Joan Brasher Researchers have documented that black college students draw on ‘grit’—mental toughness and perseverance—to achieve in predominantly white academic institutions. But a new Vanderbilt study says that notion fails to recognize an emerging mental health crisis for these students. “Weathering the cumulative effects of living in a society characterized by white dominance and […]

Respect for adults versus peers: Implications for working with at-risk youth

Clemans, K.H., Graber J. A., & Bettencourt, A. (2012). Adult-Directed and Peer-Directed Respect for Authority: Relationships With Aggressive and Manipulative Behavior. Journal of Research on Adolescents, 480-486. This study aimed to investigate the association between manipulative and aggressive behaviors and peer-directed and adult-directed disrespect. Method: The study used a quantitative approach to investigate a sample of young adults  […]

Study Finds Positive Physical and Mental Health Outcomes for Mentored Foster Care Youth

Ahrens, K. R., DuBois, D. L., Richardson, L. P., Fan, M. Y., & Lozano, P. (2008). Youth in foster care with adult mentors during adolescence have improved adult outcomes. Pediatrics, 121(2), e246-e252. Summarized by Elyssa Weber, UMB clinical psychology doctoral student Introduction: Young adults in foster care are more likely to have poorer physical and […]

New study on parent mentoring program for families with ASD children

Moody, E. J., Kaiser, K., Sharp, D., Kubicek, L. F., Rigles, B., Davis, J., … & Rosenberg, C. R. (2018). Improving Family Functioning Following Diagnosis of ASD: A Randomized Trial of a Parent Mentorship Program. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1-12. doi:10.1007/s10826-018-1293-z Summarized by Rachel Thompson Notes of Interest: This study points out the complexity […]

Advice for Men Who Are Nervous About Mentoring Women

By Wendy Murphy, From Harvard Business Review Many senior male managers are reportedly responding to the #MeToo movement with a better-safe-than-sorry attitude and are pulling back from mentoring women. This backlash has little basis in reality. False accusations of sexual harassment are about 2%, the same as any other crime. Aside from being biased, this reaction is also […]

Important study of mentoring for higher-risk youth

Mentoring Experiences and Outcomes for Youth with Varying Risk Profiles by Carla Herrera, David L. DuBois, Jean Baldwin Grossman reprinted from MDRC More and more, mentoring programs are being asked to serve young people who are considered “higher risk.” While mentoring has a strong research base generally, relatively little is known about mentoring programs’ capacities to […]

Strong mentors can help female athletes combat sexism, a new study shows.

LAWRENCE — When female athletes have strong mentors, the relationship helps them combat issues of sexism and helps them navigate problematic behaviors, according to a study by two University of Kansas researchers. “Mentorship and the feeling of mattering is really important to female athletes in dealing with issues of discrimination or bullying that can impede […]