Research from Related Fields

A summary of research from psychology, sociology and other fields as it relates to youth mentoring.

How do contextual factors affect the accessibility to informal mentoring for underrepresented youths?

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Gowdy, G., Palmer, M. T., Saastamoinen, M., & Rivera, M. (2022). Using a Social Work Perspective to Understand Contextual Factors Impacting Access to Informal Mentorship for Under-Resourced and Minoritized Youth. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-022-00838-4 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest: Informal, non-parental youth mentoring relationships promote a variety of positive youth outcomes. There […]

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I Don’t think you like me very much: Child minority status and disadvantage predict relationship quality with teachers

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Fitzpatrick, C., Côté-Lussier, C., Pagani, L. S., & Blair, C. (2017). I Don’t think you like me very much: Child minority status and disadvantage predict relationship quality with teachers. Youth & Society, 1-17. DOI: 10.1177/0044118X13508962. Summarized by Stella Kanchewa, M.A., UMass Boston doctoral student Children’s academic performance relates to important adult outcomes including career options, […]

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The importance of teacher-child relationships during elementary school

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Maldonado-Carreno, C., & Votruba-Drzal, E. (2011). Teacher-child relationships and the development of academic and behavioral skills during elementary school: A within- and between-child analysis. Child Development, 82(2), 601-616. Introduction:  Teacher-child relationship quality in the early school years has been linked to child well-being in a variety of domains: peer relationships, behavior problems, classroom adjustment, and […]

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New study examines how social class bias influences youth mentoring relationships

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Spencer, R., McCormack, M. J., Drew, A. L., Gowdy, G., & Keller, T. E. (2021). (Not) minding the gap: A qualitative interview study of how social class bias can influence youth mentoring relationships. Journal of Community Psychology.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22737 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest: It’s common for mentees from low-come families (many who are also […]

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Childhood Family Environment Linked With Relationship Quality 60 Years Later

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From APS News Growing up in a warm family environment in childhood is associated with feeling more secure in romantic relationships in one’s 80s, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings show that men who grew up in caring homes were more adept at managing […]

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On Methods: What’s the difference between qualitative and quantitative approaches?

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Editors Note: We are very fortunate to have Adar Ben-Eliyahu, Ph.D. our new Methods Editor, sharing with us her considerable expertise on research methods. Dr. Ben-Eliyahu completed her doctorate in developmental psychology at Duke University, where she honed very strong skills in methods. She is currently a MacArthur Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Evidence-Based […]

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What enhancements increase adherence in self-guided, web-based interventions? New study provides insights

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Moskowitz, J. T., Addington, E. L., Shiu, E., Bassett, S. M., Schuette, S., Kwok, I., Freedman, M.E., Leykin, Y., Saslow, L. R., Cohn, M. A., & Cheung, E. O. (2021). Facilitator Contact, Discussion Boards, and Virtual Badges as Adherence Enhancements to a Web-Based, Self-guided, Positive Psychological Intervention for Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(9), […]

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The opportunities and pitfalls of increasing formal youth mentoring program efforts to address loneliness

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Keller, T. E., Perry, M., & Spencer, R. (2020). Reducing Social Isolation Through Formal Youth Mentoring: Opportunities and Potential Pitfalls. Clinical Social Work Journal, 48(1), 35–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-019-00727-x Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest: Although research primarily examines the impact of loneliness and social isolation on the aging population, not many scholars examine how they affect young […]

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How does visitation impact child-parent relationship quality and psychological outcomes of youths with incarcerated parents?

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Kremer, K. P., Christensen, K. M., Stump, K. N., Stelter, R. L., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Rhodes, J. E. (2021). The role of visitation and parent-child relationship quality in promoting positive outcomes for children of incarcerated parents. Child & Family Social Work. Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:  Over five million youths have had an incarcerated […]

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Designing for Youth-Centered Moderation and Community Governance in Minecraft

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Tekinbaş, K. S., Jagannath, K., Lyngs, U., & Slovák, P. (2021). Designing for Youth-Centered Moderation and Community Governance in Minecraft. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 28(4), 1–41. https://doi.org/10.1145/3450290 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:  Online environments can promote technical, emotional, and social skills to positively influence online behaviors.  Positive outcomes are more likely to form in […]

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