Mentoring in schools: an impact study of big brothers big sisters school-based mentoring

This random assignment impact study of Big Brothers Big Sisters School-Based Mentoring involved 1,139 9- to 16-year-old students in 10 cities nationwide. Youth were randomly assigned to either a treatment group (receiving mentoring) or a control group (receiving no mentoring) and were followed for 1.5 school years. At the end of the first school year, relative to the control group, mentored youth performed better academically, had more positive perceptions of their own academic abilities, and were more likely to report having a "special adult" in their lives. However, they did not show improvements in classroom effort, global self-worth, relationships with parents, teachers or peers, or rates of problem behavior. Academic improvements were also not sustained into the second school year.     

Motivational beliefs as mediators in the association between perceived scholastic competence,self-esteem and learning strategies among Greek secondary school students

The present study investigated the links between self-motivational beliefs, perceived scholastic competence, self-esteem and learning strategies among 134 Greek junior high school students in the subject of Greek language, through self-report. A model was tested with motivational constructs as mediators between perceived scholastic competence and self-esteem on the one side and participants’ learning strategies in language on the other. Mediation analyses results showed that perceived scholastic competence predicted all learning strategies both directly and indirectly through intrinsic goal orientation and task value. Self-esteem was not found to predict learning strategies directly, but only indirectly through intrinsic goal motivation. The findings are discussed in terms of their educational implications.     

Investigation of the Integration of Supports for Youth Thriving Into a Community‐Based Mentoring Program

A randomized control trial involving 806 youth (ages 10–16; 85.4% low‐income households) served in U.S. Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates investigated effects of incorporating activities to promote youth thriving into mentoring relationships over a 15‐month period. Outcomes included support for thriving in youths’ relationships with adults, youths’ personal resources for thriving, and levels of problem behavior. Intent‐to‐treat analyses revealed no differences in outcomes based on assignment to thriving promotion or standard services. There was substantial variability in youth exposure to thriving promotion activities, primarily in association with premature endings of mentoring relationships. In path analyses, positive engagement with the activities predicted enhanced support for thriving from adults and, via this support, increased personal resources for thriving and reduced problem behavior.     

THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ENGAGEMENT IN MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS AND SELF‐ESTEEM AMONG AFFLUENT ADOLESCENT GIRLS

This study examined the influence of growth‐fostering mentoring relationships on the self‐esteem of adolescent female students from affluent communities. Studies have demonstrated that this population of students is susceptible to psychological distress and self‐esteem problems, due to perfectionistic strivings and achievement pressures. Specifically, we hypothesized that growth‐fostering mentoring relationships (e.g., with teachers and school staff) would be positively associated with self‐esteem. Moreover, we expected that this association would be mediated by engagement in purposeful activities. The authors surveyed 207 girls from two independent secondary schools and found support for the mediation hypothesis. Using an ordinary least squares regression approach, the association between growth‐fostering mentoring relationships and self‐esteem was mediated by youth engagement in purposeful activities. Implications for future research and practice in schools are discussed.     

Mentoring at‐risk adolescent girls: listening to ‘Little Sisters’

In order to develop an understanding of mentoring relationships and the impact these relationships might have on the development of high‐risk adolescent girls, this qualitative study explored the relationships between six ‘Little Sisters’ and their ‘Big Sister’ mentors. The purposefully‐selected sample includes women and girls who were actively involved in a formal mentoring relationship for a minimum of three years. Findings suggest that a long‐term, nurturing mentoring relationship had a positive impact on the self‐efficacy, aspirations, and possible selves of the at‐risk adolescent girls.     

The relations of parental supervision,parental school involvement,and child's social competence with school achievement in primary school

The aim of this study was to examine the relation of parental supervision, parental involvement at school and child's social competence with school achievement in primary school. A theoretical model was postulated that predicts direct and indirect effects of parental behaviors on adolescents’ school achievement. Participants were 1,024 adolescents attending Grades 5 through 8 in 20 primary schools in Croatia and one of their parents or guardians. Adolescents completed a scale assessing their self‐perceived social competence and data on their grade point average were collected. Parents completed scales measuring parental supervision and parental involvement at school and they rated their child's social competence. The results of model testing showed that parental behaviors have both direct and indirect effect on adolescents’ school achievement. Greater parental supervision and school involvement have a direct and an indirect, through their effects on child's social competence, positive effects on adolescents’ school achievement.     

Calling to mentor: the search for mentor identity through the development of mentor competency

ABSTRACT

There is a common assumption that experienced educators will automatically be effective mentors. My experience indicates that building competence in mentoring others requires conscious intent and effort. This article is a self-study action research account that explores mentoring practice from the mentor’s perspective. The study sets to explore the relational dynamics within mentoring relationships, with the focus of obtaining a deeper understanding of the mentor’s growth and the impact of this learning on mentor identity. Data collection was through personal reflective journals, mentoring conversations, and focus group interviews. Findings indicate that critical reflective practice can lead to transformational learning that results in personal and professional growth and improved mentor competency. Transformative learning episodes highlight significant learning points that converge to enhance personal and professional learning and contribute to the formulation of mentor identity. A conclusion drawn is that applying a personal strategic intent towards mentor development can lead to improved mentoring culture and organisational learning and growth.     

Multifaceted Impact of Self-Efficacy Beliefs on Academic Functioning

This research analyzed the network of psychosocial influences through which efficacy beliefs affect academic achievement. Parents' sense of academic efficacy and aspirations for their children were linked to their children's scholastic achievement through their perceived academic capabilities and aspirations. Children's beliefs in their efficacy to regulate their own learning and academic attainments, in turn, contributed to scholastic achievement both independently and by promoting high academic aspirations and prosocial behavior and reducing vulnerability to feelings of futility and depression. Children's perceived social efficacy and efficacy to manage peer pressure for detrimental conduct also contributed to academic attainments but through partially different paths of affective and self-regulatory influence. The impact of perceived social efficacy was mediated through academic aspirations and a low level of depression. Perceived self-regulatory efficacy was related to academic achievement both directly and through adherence to moral self-sanctions for detrimental conduct and problem behavior that can subvert academic pursuits. Familial socioeconomic status was linked to children's academic achievement only indirectly through its effects on parental aspirations and children's prosocialness. The full set of self-efficacy, aspirational, and psychosocial factors accounted for a sizable share of the variance in academic achievement.     

Investigating Teacher Candidates’ Mentoring of Students at Risk of Academic Failure: A Canadian Experiential Field Model

In this study, the authors explore a Canadian field experience model in a bachelor of education program that focuses on mentor‐based relationships between teacher candidates and students at risk of dropping out of high school. They examine teacher candidates’ and at‐risk students’ attitudinal approaches. The model emphasizes praxis and social justice, and the authors argue that it would benefit from a greater emphasis on critical literacy theory. Data were collected through triangulation of Ministry of Education documents, a literature review, program coordinators’ informal reflections and field notes, and interviews. Interview participants were two teacher candidates, three at‐risk students, and three Student Success teachers. The mentoring improved human relations and attendance more than grades for the at‐risk students. The results indicate that at‐risk students feel individually empowered through the mentor‐based model and teacher candidates demonstrate insights into their mentoring relationships.     

Parenting Style as a Context for Emotion Socialization

Research Findings: The purpose of this study was to examine parenting style in the domain of emotion socialization through studying the relationships among parenting styles, emotion-related parental practices, and parental goals of Hong Kong–Chinese mothers. Data were collected from 189 Hong Kong–Chinese mothers of 6- to 8-year-old children. Hong Kong–Chinese mothers reported that among authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive parenting styles, they adopted an authoritative style most often and an authoritarian style least often. They valued both relational and individualistic emotional competence of their children as parental goals but regarded the former as more important than the latter. Structural equation modeling results indicated that parental goals mediated the influences of parenting styles on parental practices. Authoritative mothers who held individualistic emotional competence goals adopted different parental practices (a coaching or an emotion-encouraging approach) from those who held relational emotional competence goals. When mothers adopted authoritarian parenting and endorsed relational emotional competence as a parental goal, they responded to children's expression of emotions in a dismissing way. Practice or Policy: Parenting styles play an overarching role in emotion socialization, influencing both parental practices and goals. The results imply that school personnel, counselors, or social workers should take into account parenting styles, parental goals, and cultural values of participants when they offer training programs to parents.     

Personality predictors of scholastic cheating in a Chinese sample

Previous research on Western college samples has identified a number of personality traits associated with scholastic cheating. Based on these findings, we suggest a model integrating personality predictors of cheating. However, it remains unclear whether the proposed model can be generalised to the Chinese culture, which has different norms and societal values. We filled this gap by estimating the associations between scholastic cheating and key personality constructs (i.e. the Big Five and the Dark Triad) in a sample of Chinese university students (N?=?634). Our results indicated that older and male students were more likely to engage in scholastic cheating than other students. After controlling for the constructs’ overlap, only extraversion and psychopathy remained significant correlates. We discuss the implications of our findings for both research and practice.     

The jury is still out: Psychoemotional support in peer e-mentoring for transition to university

This study investigates how computer mediated communication (CMC) can sustain nourishing and emotionally enriching peer mentoring relations. A peer electronic mentoring program was implemented in an Irish university to facilitate freshmen's transition to college. A sample of 123 participants (42 mentors and 81 mentees) was evaluated with a combination of mixed methods including a pre-program adjustment scale, online participation records, content analysis of online interactions and end of program interviews. Results reveal that volunteer freshmen experienced greater psychoemotional needs than the general student population. Personal and emotional interactions often developed, especially if the mentoring pair met face-to-face first and the fresher did not have an alternative support network. However, mentors often expected to develop intimate and lasting support relationships while mentees did not always share this expectation. Perceptions of CMC were strongly determined by individual preferences. Implications for e-mentoring programs and Web 2.0 use are discussed.     

Mediating effects of teacher and peer relationships between parental abuse/neglect and emotional/behavioral problems

The current study examined the mediating effects of the teacher and peer relationships between parental abuse/neglect and a child’s emotional/behavioral problems. A total of 2070 student surveys from the panel of the Korean Child Youth Panel Study (KCYPS) were analyzed by path analysis. The key findings of this study are outlined below. Firstly, parental physical and emotional abuse and neglect had significant effects on children’s problems. The direct effect of parental abuse on emotional/behavioral problems was higher than the direct effect of parental neglect on emotional/behavioral problems. Secondly, the teacher relationship partially mediated the effects of the parental abuse/neglect on emotional/behavioral problems. Thirdly, the peer relationship also partially mediated the effects of parental abuse/neglect on children’s emotional/behavioral problems. The indirect effect of parental neglect via teacher relationships and peer relationships was stronger than the indirect effect of parental abuse. This study is significant in that it identified that parental abuse/neglect was mediated by the teacher and peer relationship, thereby suggesting an implication for effective intervention with children who have suffered abuse and neglect. In terms of the teacher and peer relationship, understanding the influence of parental abuse and neglect on children’s problems was discussed, and the limitations and recommendations for future study were suggested.     

Relations of middle school students' perceptions of family and school contexts with academic achievement

The purposes of this study were to examine the relations of both family and school contexts on students' academic achievement and to explore the mediating effects of students' perceptions of their motivations and academic self‐competence between the family and school contexts and achievement. Participants were 230 fifth‐ and sixth‐grade students. Students' perceptions of parenting style (demandingness and responsiveness), parental involvement (parental values and involvement in school functions), teaching style (teacher control and responsiveness), and school atmosphere (school responsiveness and supportive social environment) significantly predicted their school achievement; however, students' motivations and self‐competence mediated the relations between students' contexts and their academic achievement. Furthermore, parental values, teacher responsiveness, school responsiveness, and supportive social environment predicted students' motivations and academic competence above and beyond parenting style, parental involvement, and teacher control. The importance of students' supportive relationships and the internalization of the messages conveyed to them underscore the need for a contextual view by school psychologists when consulting with parents and education staff regarding achievement concerns. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Mediating effect of emotional/behavioral problems and academic competence between parental abuse/neglect and school adjustment

The current study examined the mediating effects of emotional/behavioral problems and academic competence between parental abuse/neglect and a child’s school adjustment by investigating 2070 student surveys from the Korean Child Youth Panel Study (KCYPS). A path analysis yielded the following key findings. Firstly, childhood abuse and neglect showed a significant negative and direct effect on school adjustment. It is particularly important to note that the effect of neglect was bigger than that of abuse in this study. Secondly, emotional/behavioral problems were found to partially mediate between abuse/neglect and school adjustment. Thirdly, academic competence partially mediated the effect of neglect on school adjustment, while it did not mediate the effect of abuse on school adjustment. The indirect effect of parental neglect via emotional/behavioral problems and academic competence was stronger than that of parental abuse. The influence of parental abuse and neglect on children’s school adjustments was discussed in terms of emotional/behavioral problems and academic competence considering unique Korean cultural context.     

The Role of Interpersonal Comfort in Mentoring Relationships

This research examined interpersonal comfort as a potential mediating mechanism in mentoring relationships. Results indicated that interpersonal comfort mediated the relationship between gender similarity and protégé reports of career and psychosocial mentoring. Contrary to prediction, interpersonal comfort did not mediate relationships involving mentorship type (i.e., formal versus informal). However, we did find that informal mentoring and interpersonal comfort were positively associated with career mentoring. The research helps illustrate the important role that interpersonal comfort plays in the mentoring process.     

Examining the relationship between treatment outcomes for academic achievement and social skills in school‐age children with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between treatment‐induced changes in academic achievement and social skills in elementary school‐age children with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder. A sample of 123 children in grades 1 through 4 with symptoms of inattention, impulsivity and/or hyperactivity, and significant achievement problems in math or reading were identified for participation. Participants were exposed to academic interventions mediated by their teachers, parents, peers, computers, or the student themselves. Data were collected on academic competence using the Woodcock‐Johnson III Test of Achievement and the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales; social skills were assessed using the Social Skills Rating System. Correlations between changes in academic competence and social skills from preintervention to approximately 10 months later were calculated. Results showed that as teacher ratings of reading improved, there were corresponding improvements in social skills. For students in peer‐mediated math interventions, increases in math fluency were correlated with improvements in self‐control. Results are discussed in the context of possible reasons for these findings and implications for practice and future research. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Informal Mentors and Education: Complementary or Compensatory Resources?

Few studies have examined the impact that mentoring (i.e., developing a special relationship with a non-parental adult) has on educational achievement and attainment in the general population. In addition, prior research has yet to clarify the extent to which mentoring relationships reduce inequality by enabling disadvantaged youth to compensate for a lack of social resources or promote inequality by serving as a complementary resource for advantaged youth. Results from a nationally representative sample of youth show (1) a powerful net influence of mentors on the educational success of youth and (2) how social background, parental, peer, and personal resources condition the formation and effectiveness of mentoring relationships. The findings uncover an interesting paradox-that informal mentors may simultaneously represent compensatory and complementary resources. Youth with many resources are more likely than other young people to have mentors, but those with few resources are likely to benefit more from having a mentor-particularly teacher mentors-in their lives.     

Geographic Variations in Cost of Living: Associations With Family and Child Well‐Being

The effects of geographic variations in cost of living and family income on children’s academic achievement and social competence in first grade (mean age = 86.9 months) were examined, mediated through material hardship, parental investments, family stress, and school resources. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Cohort (N = 17,565), higher cost of living was associated with lower academic achievement. For poor children only, higher cost of living was also detrimental to parental investments and school resources. Parental investments and school resources were more strongly associated with achievement for lower income than higher income children. Results suggest that cost of living intersects with income in meaningful ways for family and child well‐being and should be accounted for in the poverty measure.     

Career Success in Training & Development: Is It What You Know or Who You Know?

A model illustrating the relationship between mentoring and job competency was developed and tested in a sample of 82 members of a local chapter of a national association for training and development professionals. Human capital was conceptualized in terms of job competency attainment and social capital in terms of mentoring and protégé relationships. A series of hierarchical regression analyses were run to test the path model. Although a positive relationship was found between acting as a protégé and job satisfaction, acting as a mentor had a negative relationship with income. The results showed a strong relationship between career competence and income, promotion, job satisfaction and career choice satisfaction. For training and development professionals, job competency is the key factor in their career success.