Posts

Mentoring survivors of abuse and trauma

Reilly, R. C., & D’Amico, M. (2017). Mentoring survivors of childhood abuse and intimate partner violence. Journal of College Student Development, 52(4), 409-424. Introduction: Both child abuse and intimate partner violence are widespread and are known to lead to a multitude of adverse outcomes, such as self-destructive behaviors, difficulties with concentration, educational under achievement, and […]

New research highlights differential effects of natural mentors on youth eating disorders

Editor’s Note: This study highlights the importance of both recognizing the benefits of a mentoring relationship for youth who are experiencing difficulties with their body self-image as well as the limits of a supportive mentoring relationship in youth diagnosed with eating disorders. By finding this balance between benefit and limits, programs can help support youth […]

New research highlights importance of mentor expectations in sustaining relationships

Spencer, R., Drew, A. L., & Kanchewa, S. S. (2017). Girls (and boys) just want to have fun: A mixed-methods examination of the role of gender in youth mentoring relationship duration and quality. Journal of Primary Prevention. doi: 10.1007/s10935-017-0494-3 Summarized by Justin Preston Background The findings from the literature on youth mentoring have shed light […]

Empowering girls and women in these confusing times

Jean Rhodes Issues of sexual misconduct are in the limelight. With each new celebrity revelation, far too many everyday women and girls are reminded of own own, painful and often buried story. The sad truth is that most women have a story to tell. And like the recent accusers, many feared the repercussions–personal, social, professional–of […]

New research: Mentors help steady the ship for adolescent girls

Liang, B., Lund, T. J., Desilva Mousseau, A. M., & Spencer, R. (2016). The mediating role of engagement in mentoring relationships and self-esteem among affluent adolescent girls. Psychology in the Schools, 53(8), 848-860. DOI: 10.1002/pits.21949 Summarized by Jessica Cunningham   Background: Affluent youth are typically considered to be “low-risk” when it comes to negative outcomes, […]

Without mentoring, girls lose interest in STEM fields

Stoeger, H., Duan, X., Schimer, S., Greindl, T., & Ziegler, A. (2013). The effectiveness of a one-year online mentoring program for girls in STEM. Computers & Education, 69, 408-418. Summarized by Jessica Cunningham, B.A. Lab Manager, Center of Evidence-Based Mentoring Introduction: As you may have already heard, women are highly under-represented in the fields of […]

Research review: Mentoring for LGBTQI-GNC Youth

The National Mentoring Resource Center (NMRC) has published the latest installment in their series: Mentoring Model/Population Review. The September 2016 iteration is a review of the latest research on the subject of mentoring youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and gender nonconforming (LGBTQI-GNC). Written by Christian L. Rummell, the review spans nearly […]

What do boys want?: A conversation with Professor Niobe Way

Niobe Way, a professor in the Department of Applied Psychology at N.Y.U.’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, discussed her book with New Yorker columnist, Vanna Lee. Her edited version of their conversation appears below. VL: Why boys? NW: My interest in boys’ development grew out of listening to my younger brothers and […]

Mentoring For Youth With Backgrounds Of Involvement In Commercial Sex Activity

Group Review Board David DuBois, Ph.D., Chair and Jennifer K. Felner (University of Illinois at Chicago) National Mentoring Resource Center This review examines research on mentoring for youth with backgrounds of involvement (or high-risk for involvement) in commercial sex activity (YCSA). The review is organized around four questions: What is the documented effectiveness of mentoring […]

Mentors Serve as “Facilitators of Change” for Ex-Offenders

Garcia, J. (2015). The Importance of the Mentor–Mentee Relationship in Women’s Desistance From Destructive Behaviors. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 0306624X14568257. Summary by Justin Preston     INTRODUCTION Desistance, the ongoing process of change in which individuals reduce their involvement in destructive acts, is not a matter of sudden, all-or-nothing transformation that […]