scholarly journals “I Expect It to Be Great . . . but Will It Be?” An Investigation of Outcomes, Processes, and Mediators of a School-Based Mentoring Program

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (7) ◽  
pp. 934-960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dávid Laco ◽  
Wendy Johnson

Despite their growing popularity, quantitative studies of school-based mentoring (SBM) programs for youth have showed considerable variation in mentoring benefits, including negative effects of mentoring. We investigated the initial 3 months of one school’s SBM program, delivered by teachers and compulsory for all first- and second-year high school students ( N = 103). Students who reported higher quality of mentoring environment (QME) tended to report greater school engagement. No such association was found for grades. In addition, higher QME was associated with greater perceived benefits of discussing personal themes but not of academic themes. Evidence of personal benefit, but absence of evidence for academic benefit, was consistent with reported effects in other SBM programs. Protégé expectations, but not gender or initial school engagement, were associated with QME, suggesting self-fulfilling prophecy as a mediator of effects. We discuss the implications of this for managing SBM programs and future research.

2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 219-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
JANET C. MEININGER

The purposes of this review were to analyze and evaluate the results of school-based studies that have used population-wide approaches for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and to assess the extent to which strategies tested to date have been effective for minority populations in the United States. The literature included in the review was restricted to studies published between 1986 and August 1999; they sampled elementary, middle, or high school students and incorporated a control or comparison group. There were no consistent effects of school-based interventions on blood pressure, lipid profiles, or measures of body mass and obesity. There was evidence that changes in knowledge and health behaviors occurred. Findings are interpreted within the context of population-wide approaches to prevention, and recommendations for future research directions are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-116
Author(s):  
Ryan G. Carlson ◽  
Robert Hock ◽  
Melissa George ◽  
Gerda Kumpiene ◽  
Mitch Yell ◽  
...  

This study examined the relational factors influencing school engagement for parents of high school youth with emotional/behavioral disorders. Fourteen parents of high school students (12 mothers, two fathers) who received special education services participated in semistructured interviews. Formal qualitative analyses of audiotaped phone interviews revealed some positive and some negative experiences by parents, the importance of coparenting to increase supportiveness to their child (and dimensions of effective coparenting), and recommendations from them for improving family engagement processes. In general, parents appreciated and recommended proactive and positive communication and collaboration with school staff emphasizing student strengths, being genuinely and meaningfully involved in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process, with adequate time allowed for this involvement, and for staff to be organized and engaged in working with them. Findings are discussed in relation to ideas for practice and policy enhancement, and future research directions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 148-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Kern ◽  
Judith R. Harrison ◽  
Beth E. Custer ◽  
Paras D. Mehta

School engagement is an important predictor of graduation. One strategy to enhance student engagement is mentoring. Check & Connect is a structured mentoring program that has resulted in favorable outcomes for many students, including those with emotional and behavioral disorders. Effectiveness, however, depends on the quality of the mentor–mentee relationship. Although research has examined factors that increase relationship effectiveness, findings have been inconsistent. We explored the perceptions and correspondence of 166 high school students (i.e., mentees) with social, emotional, and/or behavioral challenges and their mentors about the mentoring relationship and variables that contribute to relationship quality. Results indicated that mentors and mentees rated the relationship favorably and their ratings correlated moderately. Mentor and mentee variables examined (gender, ethnicity/race, age) were not significant predictors of relationship quality; however, specific topics discussed during mentoring sessions for mentors (family, friends) and mentees (school, future plans) were significantly related to their perceptions of relationship quality.


2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (7) ◽  
pp. 1220-1237
Author(s):  
Wing Yi Chan ◽  
Gabriel P. Kuperminc ◽  
Scot Seitz ◽  
Christyl Wilson ◽  
Nadim Khatib

This study examined the association between participation in a school-based group-mentoring program (Project Arrive) and academic outcomes in a group of ninth-grade students who had been identified as at high risk of high-school dropout ( n = 239). Comparison participants were ninth-grade students with similar levels of risk ( n = 980). Using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) with a propensity score to reduce selection bias, and a partially clustered model to account for nonindependence of data in program students, we found that Project Arrive students earned more credits by the end of 9th grade and 10th grade; and reported increased instructional time by the end of 9th grade, than comparison students.


2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (8) ◽  
pp. 1104-1126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariah Elsa Kornbluh

The exploration of social networking sites (SNS) offers great potential for understanding novel forms of youth civic engagement within the 21st century. SNS can foster a young person’s social capital by connecting them to others with different backgrounds, thereby exposing them to alternative perspectives and lived experiences within a growingly polarized political environment. This study provides an innovative framework for examining the communication trends and perceived sociopolitical benefits for adolescents engaging diverse groups in a youth-led social-justice-oriented SNS. The author linked three school-based youth participatory action research projects involving 54 high school students through an SNS. Employing a mixed-method approach (i.e., social network analysis, key student interviews), results indicate an increase in communication between students in different schools and an increase in levels of civic participation. In addition, interviewees reported perceived gains in communication, perspective taking, and sociopolitical awareness. Implications for practitioners, as well as future research, are discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002087282110187
Author(s):  
Malak Al-Rasheed

This article describes the preliminary investigation of the initial feasibility of the ‘ Fostering Youth Resilience Project’, a universal school-based program delivered by school social workers to 54 high school students in Kuwait. Results reported significant positive change and high satisfaction with the program. The study provided initial evidence support to the applicability of the program for youth in a non-Western culture. Future research needs to evaluate the effect of the program in larger groups, using controlled trials and longer term follow ups. Discussion of limitations and practical implications for the social work profession are presented.


2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 2156759X2110504
Author(s):  
Allison Spargo ◽  
Patrick Mullen ◽  
Daniel Gutierrez ◽  
Jennifer Kramer

We describe the conceptual framework and practitioner-based study outcomes of a school-based substance use prevention intervention focused on strengthening student commitment to their personal vision. This study found increases related to goal clarity and identification of a mentor following the intervention. We suggest implications for future school-based substance use prevention services and future research to evaluate the program.


2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 423-437
Author(s):  
Samantha Weiss ◽  
Jeanette Harder ◽  
Christiana Bratiotis ◽  
Emily Nguyen

Academic mentoring programs promote high school completion for at-risk youth. The purpose of this study was to hear the voice of youth in order to inform program services and develop best practices for meeting their academic needs. Using a grounded theory approach, we conducted 14 focus groups to examine high school students’ perceptions and experiences in the Avenue Scholars Foundation program. This study supported previous findings: students’ comments reflected on the importance of the relationships built in the program, the knowledge they gained, and their experiences regarding higher education and careers. The students shared that these experiences were increasingly meaningful because of the relationship built with their Talent Advisor and classmates. These relationships instilled hope for the future, created a pathway to college and career, and confirmed a belief that the students could accomplish their goals.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffael Heiss ◽  
Jörg Matthes

Abstract. This study investigated the effects of politicians’ nonparticipatory and participatory Facebook posts on young people’s political efficacy – a key determinant of political participation. We employed an experimental design, using a sample of N = 125 high school students (15–20 years). Participants either saw a Facebook profile with no posts (control condition), nonparticipatory posts, or participatory posts. While nonparticipatory posts did not affect participants’ political efficacy, participatory posts exerted distinct effects. For those high in trait evaluations of the politician presented in the stimulus material or low in political cynicism, we found significant positive effects on external and collective efficacy. By contrast, for those low in trait evaluations or high in cynicism, we found significant negative effects on external and collective efficacy. We did not find any effects on internal efficacy. The importance of content-specific factors and individual predispositions in assessing the influence of social media use on participation is discussed.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document