Citation

Karcher MJ. Psychol. Sch. 2005; 42(1): 65-77.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Far more has been written about the possible outcomes of cross-age mentoring than about actual outcomes and the processes that lead to change. This study examined the effect of mentors' attendance on their mentees' outcomes after six months of developmental mentoring. Developmental mentoring is a structured, cross-age peer mentoring program designed to promote children's development by facilitating connectedness. In this randomized study of 73 Caucasian, rural youth, multiple analyses of covariance revealed that connectedness to school and parents at posttest were significantly greater for mentees than for the comparison group. Regression analyses revealed that changes in self-esteem, social skills, and behavioral competence were highly related to mentors' attendance, suggesting relational processes accounted for more change than did exposure to program curricula. However, the relationship between mentors' inconsistent attendance and mentees' decline in self-esteem and behavioral competence suggests that absent mentors may do more harm than good. (Abstract Adapted from Source: Psychology in the Schools, 2005. Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Peer Mentoring
Cross-Age Mentoring
School Connectedness
Child Development
Youth Development
Juvenile Mentor
Program Effectiveness
Program Evaluation
Prevention Program
Child Self-Esteem
Self-Esteem Development
Social Skills Development
School Based
Elementary School Student
Late Childhood
Middle Childhood
Late Adolescence
Senior High School Student
04-06