(Not) minding the gap: A qualitative interview study of how social class bias can influence youth mentoring relationships

Going the distance: A longitudinal qualitative study of formal youth mentoring relationship development

More enduring formal youth mentoring relationships tend to be more effective, but our understanding of how such relationships develop and are sustained remains limited. This prospective, qualitative study examined the development of 67 one-to-one, community-based mentoring relationships over a 2-year period. Data included interviews with mentors, youth, and the youth's parent/guardian across multiple time-points and agency case notes. Five developmental trajectories were identified: (a) continued growth, (b) initial growth that plateaued, (c) initial growth followed by decline and then recovery, (d) initial growth followed by decline with no recovery, and (e) little to no growth or connection. Matches in the continued growth and recovery groups were more enduring and experienced by participants as meaningful connections. Factors that appeared to have contributed to these different trajectories were youth interest in the mentoring relationship, mentor empathy, flexibility, and commitment, and program support.

Formal youth mentoring relationships in the context of risk: What is the role of caregiver-mentor collaboration?

Most research on youth mentoring relationships has focused on the mentor-mentee dyad, yet caregivers play an important role in supporting these relationships. Drawing on a large, multisite sample of youth in formal mentoring programs (N = 2165), this study investigated associations between caregiver-mentor collaboration and mentoring relationship outcomes in the context of environmental and individual youth risk factors. Analysis of novel quantitative measures assessing caregivers' experiences of the mentoring relationships revealed two factors reflecting caregivers' collaboration with mentors (caregiver involvement and mentor backing), and three factors reflecting caregivers' perceptions of mentor effectiveness (meeting youth needs, advocating for youth, and supporting youth behavior). Results indicated that greater caregiver involvement was associated with higher-quality and longer-lasting mentoring relationships. Few associations between risk and mentoring relationships were observed; however, indirect effects indicated that youth environmental risk was positively associated with caregiver involvement, which, in turn, was positively associated with mentoring relationship outcomes.

Natural mentoring among college students of color: Considerations for their ethnic-racial identity and psychological well-being

This study examined: (a) the roles of ethnic-racial similarity between mentors and mentees and mentors' support for ethnic-racial identity (ERI) in mentees' ERI private regard, (b) the roles of ethnic-racial similarity and ERI support in mentees' psychological well-being, and (c) the indirect effects of ethnic-racial similarity and ERI support on psychological well-being via private regard. Participants were 231 college students of color who completed a survey and reported having a natural mentor. Path analyses were conducted to test the hypothesized model. More support for ERI was significantly associated with higher private regard and higher self-esteem. Higher ethnic-racial similarity was significantly related to higher psychological distress and higher self-esteem. An indirect effect was found between ERI support and ethnic-racial similarity and psychological well-being via private regard. The findings fill a gap in the literature on ethnic-racial processes in mentoring critical to the development of college students of color.

Do program practices matter for mentors?: How implementation of empirically supported program practices is associated with youth mentoring relationship quality

This study investigates how the implementation of program-level practices by formal youth mentoring programs is associated with the quality of youth mentoring relationships as contexts for youth development and also examines whether this connection is mediated by the mentor-staff working alliance. Using data from mentors (n = 542) participating in multiple programs (n = 55), multilevel path models examined hypothesized direct and mediated effects. Parallel analyses were conducted with assessments of program practices from staff (n = 219). Greater exposure to program practices was associated with higher ratings of mentoring relationship satisfaction, commitment, and security and lower mentor-youth relationship negativity. The mentor-staff working alliance either partially or fully mediated these associations. Staff-reported practices predicted mentoring relationship satisfaction and commitment without mediation by the working alliance. This study suggests program practices contribute to stronger youth mentoring relationships. The findings also highlight the mentor-staff working alliance in supporting the development of positive mentoring relationships.

Being a mentor in the digital era: An exploratory study of the benefits undergraduate student mentors derived from providing virtual mentoring to youth

The purpose of the study was to understand mentors' perceptions of the benefits they derived from providing virtual mentoring to youth at risk of school failure and justice system involvement in an alternative school-based mentoring program. Using data collected from 38 university student mentors, we used a qualitative case study design focused on generating highly credible descriptions of mentors' perceptions of how they were affected by their experiences providing virtual mentoring. The three conceptual themes that emerged in our analysis were that virtual mentors described experiencing the following outcomes: (1) the reduction of biases and development of cultural humility, (2) the development of communication and leadership skills, and (3) a cultivation of civic responsibility and a sense of empowerment to make a difference. These findings suggest that providing virtual mentoring to youth may be one important tool for building competencies for undergraduate students.

Social class discrimination during adolescence as a mediator of socioeconomic disparities in actigraphy-assessed and self-reported sleep

OBJECTIVE

To examine social class discrimination as a mediator of socioeconomic disparities in sleep outcomes in an adolescent sample.

METHODS

Sleep was assessed from established actigraphy (efficiency, long wake episodes, duration) and self-report (sleep/wake problems, daytime sleepiness) measures among 272 high school students in the Southeastern region of the United States (35% low income; 59% White, 41% Black, 49% female, Mean age = 17.3, SD = 0.8). Social class discrimination was assessed using a new measure, the Social Class Discrimination Scale (SCDS; 22-items), and an established measure, the Experiences of Discrimination Scale (EODS; 7-items). Socioeconomic disadvantage (SED) was measured as an aggregate of six indicators.

RESULTS

The SCDS was associated with sleep efficiency, long wake episodes, sleep/wake problems and daytime sleepiness (but not sleep duration), and significantly mediated the socioeconomic gradient in each sleep outcome. Black males experienced higher levels of social class discrimination than Black females, White males, or White females. A race by gender moderation effect was evident for two of the five sleep outcomes (sleep efficiency and long wake episodes) suggesting a stronger association between social class discrimination and sleep problems for Black females than White females but no clear race differences among males. The EODS was not associated with objective sleep outcomes or SED but was associated with self-reported sleep and showed a similar pattern of moderation effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that social class discrimination may contribute to socioeconomic disparities in sleep problems, with some variability across measures and demographic groups. Results are discussed in light of evolving trends in socioeconomic health disparities.

All Things Considered: Examining Mentoring Relationships Between White Mentors and Black Youth in Community-Based Youth Mentoring Programs

Background

Community-based youth mentoring programs are popular interventions that serve a large number of Black youths throughout the country. Interestingly, the majority of mentors who volunteer their time for mentoring organizations identify as non-Hispanic White. This study examines how White mentors address topics acknowledging ethnic/racial identity and issues centered around social justice and recognize their own privileges when mentoring Black youth in community-based youth mentoring programs.

Objective

The aims of the current study were to examine: (a) whether and how White volunteer mentors address ethnic/racial identity, racial socialization, and oppression in the mentoring relationship and (b) how White mentors' awareness of their own positionality and privilege impacted how they addressed ethnic/racial identity, racial socialization, and oppression in the mentoring relationship with Black youth.

Method

Utilizing a constructivist grounded theory approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 current and former mentors from six different Big Brothers Big Sisters community-based mentoring programs across the United States.

Results

Findings reveal that some mentors felt uncomfortable discussing issues centered around race and others do not think it is relevant at all. Further, findings demonstrated that mentoring Black youth significantly impacts mentors' perceived awareness of social issues and acknowledgment of privileges they hold.

Conclusions

Current findings highlight the need for youth mentoring programs to provide training and resources to help White mentors discuss implications of race and broader social justice issues with the Black youth they mentor.