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Cited by 4Mentoring and Academic DevelopmentYouth Development and Social SupportCareer Development and Diversity

Examining heterogeneity in mentoring: associations between mentoring discussion topics and youth outcomes

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Alwani, Noor A., Lyons, Michael D., Edwards, Kelly D.·2023·Journal of Community Psychology
DOI 10.1002/jcop.22938
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Abstract

The current study aims to apply a staged approach to document heterogeneity in discussions in mentoring relationships, chiefly, discussion topics from weekly mentoring sessions with undergraduate women mentors (n = 40), then link each of the eight topics (relationships with friends, family, teachers, and romantic relationships, as well as goals, academic skills, academic problems, and hopes for the future) to developmental outcomes for middle school girls (n = 41) who participated in a school-based mentoring program. In doing so, the authors hope to better understand the mechanisms that influence variability in mentoring treatment effects. Mentoring dyads engaged in unstructured one-on-one sessions and structured group meetings across the 2018-2019 academic year. The primary predictors for this study are weekly mentor-reported discussion topics and activities addressed during unstructured one-on-one mentoring sessions, with 11 social-emotional, academic, and behavioral outcomes measured via pre- and postsurveys administered by research assistants to mentees during the fall and spring. A series of 11 path analyses indicate small to moderate associations, both beneficial and negative, between key discussion topics, such as hopes for the future, family relationships, and goals, and several mentee-reported outcomes of interest at the end of the intervention, including extrinsic motivation, life satisfaction, and self-esteem. Study findings provide information about heterogeneity in mentoring practices to inform how various mechanisms of mentoring (e.g., discussions focused on relationships, goals and skills, and strengths) influence developmentally-relevant effects for youth.

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  • Another factor contributing to program ineffectiveness was mentors' lack of knowledge and preparation.

    “Another factor contributing to the program's ineffectiveness was mentors' lack of knowledge and preparation for it, as highlighted by Bayer et al. (2015), Goulet et al. (2018), and Alwani et al. (2023).”

    From Outcome domains and assessment measures in school-based youth mentoring programs: a systematic review (2026) · cites this paper as Alwani et al. (2023)

    Section 4.1 (page unavailable) suggests that future studies examine mentor training for conversations about goals and academic problems. It does not establish that mentors lacked knowledge or preparation, or that such a lack caused the program’s limited effectiveness. Section 2.1 describes training and ongoing support provided to mentors. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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  • Alwani et al. (2023) found that the mentoring program was associated with a decrease in students' life satisfaction, self-esteem, behavioral engagement, and motivation to learn.

    “Alwani et al. (2023) found that the mentoring program was associated with a decrease in students' life satisfaction, self-esteem, behavioral engagement, and motivation to learn.”

    From Outcome domains and assessment measures in school-based youth mentoring programs: a systematic review (2026) · cites this paper as Alwani et al. (2023)

    Section 4.1 reports declines in life satisfaction, self-esteem, behavioral engagement, and motivation associated with particular mentoring discussion topics. But the claim attributes those declines to the mentoring program overall. Section 3.1 reports a significant overall decline in behavioral engagement; overall changes in life satisfaction, self-esteem, and extrinsic motivation were nonsignificant, and the mean for extrinsic motivation increased. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Lee, J. M., Germain, L. J., Marshall, J., & Lawrence, E. (2010). It opened my mind, my eyes. It was good": How college students navigate boundaries of difference in a volunteer mentoring program. Educational Horizons, 89(1), 33-46.

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Authors
Alwani, N. A., Lyons, M. D., & Edwards, K. D.
Affiliations
University of Virginia (US)
Corresponding author
Alwani, Noor A.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Community Psychology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2022-09-28
Volume
51
Issue
3
Pages
1233-1254
ISSN
  • 0090-4392 (ISSN-L)
  • 1520-6629
DOI
10.1002/jcop.22938
OpenAlex
W4297463277
Cited by
4
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1
FWCI
0.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Community Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mentoring and Academic Development
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
Keywords
mentoring, middle school girls, social-emotional outcomes, educational outcomes, behavioral effects, extrinsic motivation, life satisfaction, self-esteem, family relationships, romantic relationships
MeSH terms
Mentoring, Adolescent, Female, Humans, Mentors, Schools, Students, Friends

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