Content for Researchers & Academics

All content relevant for academics, students, and research-minded individuals who are interested in youth mentoring research.

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 […]

Rejection Sensitivity: A Self-fulfilling Prophecy with important implications for mentoring

Downey, G., Freitas, A. L., Michaelis, B., & Khouri, H. (1998). The self-fulfilling prophecy in close relationships: Rejection sensitivity and rejection by romantic partners. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 545-560. Introduction: Research shows that people’s beliefs about their significant others (including expectations concerning rejection and acceptance) can influence the course of their relationships […]

New review explores how adults are influenced by the experience of mentoring youth

Anderson, A. J., & DuBois, D. L. (2022). Are adults influenced by the experience of mentoring youth? A scoping review. Journal of Community Psychology.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22954 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:  Youth mentorships are known for promoting a variety of positive youth-related outcomes. While many systemic reviews and meta-analyses assess the impact mentoring relationships have […]

Study shows that mentoring programs can help reduce juvenile offending and antisocial behavior.

Farrington, D. P., Gaffney, H., & White, H. (2022). Effectiveness of 12 types of interventions in reducing juvenile offending and antisocial behaviour. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjccj.2022-0022 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:  This paper reviews findings from systemic reviews to assess the efficiency of twelve intervention types in lowering anti-social and juvenile […]

Rooted in Relationships Podcast series with guest Jean Rhodes: Mentorship is a rich opportunity for positive development from youth to adulthood

Episode 2.6 – Jean Rhodes – Mentorship is a rich opportunity for positive development from youth to adulthood The mentor-mentee relationship can be particularly rich for both individuals. Mentors can connect mentees with opportunities and guide them through important educational, professional and personal stages in their lives. In this episode of Rooted in Relationships, former […]

[Webinar] 2022 Youth Mentoring Research Symposium

Date: Wednesday, April 27, 1-4 PM EST; Special poster session from 6-7 PM, and Thursday, April 28, 1-4 PM. Registration is now open for the 2022 Youth Mentoring Research Symposium (virtual). Join researchers to discuss the state of mentoring topics that affect public policy & philanthropy, in addition to methodologies and frameworks for conducting more […]

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

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, […]

The importance of teacher-child relationships during elementary school

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 […]

On Methods: What’s a meta-analysis, anyways?

  by Adar Ben-Eliyahu, Assistant Professor, University of Haifa There is often considerable fanfare when a new meta-analysis is published. What’s the excitement about anyways? Don’t most meta-analyses seem to be saying things we already know from previous research? This is somewhat true, as meta-analyses summarize previous research findings. However, in contrast to a review, […]

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

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 […]