scholarly journals Reasons for Premature Closure of a Mentoring Relationship: A Qualitative Study of Mentoring Youth With a Visual Impairment

2021 ◽  
pp. 074355842110348
Author(s):  
Eline C. M. Heppe ◽  
Janis B. Kupersmidt ◽  
Sabina Kef

Preventing mentor-mentee relationships from ending prematurely is important because an early or unanticipated closure could lead to negative youth outcomes. In this study, the reasons for premature closure of a community-based mentoring program for youth with a visual impairment (VI) are studied. Data from 44 prematurely ended mentor-mentee pairs were analyzed; all mentees (mean age = 18.5, SD = 1.92) and 23 of the mentors had VI. Logbook data with two types of transcribed semi-structured interviews were thematically coded line-by-line. Frequencies of coded responses provided insight into the most frequently reported reasons and the most frequently reported problems. Chi-square analyses were conducted to study differences between matches in the two conditions (i.e., matches containing mentors with or without VI). Regardless of the condition, premature closure was primarily initiated by mentees, and the most common cause was reported to be due to deficiencies in mentors’ relationship skills. Matches with a mentor with VI experienced more problems within one domain of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) model. These results show that additional pre-match mentor and supplementary mentee training are needed to increase relationship success in mentoring programs serving youth with VI.

Author(s):  
Evelyn Aguirre ◽  
Solomon Faller

The usefulness of teachers’ mentoring program cannot be underestimated. Some universities and colleges in the Philippines have been implementing this kind of program with different approaches, content, and scope. The extent of mentoring programs to improve teaching careers has been studied here and abroad. Results remain inconclusive. This case study with a phenomenological peg has explored the lived experiences of neophyte teachers through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Their experiences in the first years of teaching were characterized by uncertainties, anxieties, struggles, and difficulties emanating from their lack of expertise on various aspects related to teaching practice, lack of knowledge about the culture and context of the university in which they were teaching, and lack of knowledge about the learners. With these specific inadequacies identified and the novice teachers’ implicit desire to be mentored, cues for a viable neophyte teacher’s mentoring program are drawn in the context of a teacher-training university.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Gisbert-Trejo ◽  
Eneka Albizu ◽  
Jon Landeta ◽  
Pilar Fernández-Ferrín

Purpose This article aims to present the differences in implementation between individual mentoring programs (IMPs) and group mentoring programs (GMPs). Design/methodology/approach This exploratory study used semi-structured interviews with 16 experts: mentoring program (MP) coordinators, consultants and mentors. During the interviews, the steps in implementing a mentoring program were reviewed and discussed by practitioners. Findings Based on the interviews and contrasting with the proposed implementation model, the authors compared IMPs and GMPs. The results highlight the role of the GMP coordinators, especially in the selection of mentors, mentees and generating resources that favor the beneficial effects of group dynamics on mentoring processes. Practical implications This model for implementing MPs and the differences identified between IMPs and GMPs provide practical help to program coordinators (PCs) and mentors to deploy MPs by highlighting the relevant aspects. Originality/value Mentoring is a Human Resource Development (HRD) technique whose implementation at the program level needs further deepening for practitioners. This is the first work that emphasizes the differences to be considered in the design and implementation of MPs by taking the individual or group dimension of mentoring.


Author(s):  
Gulcin Cosgun ◽  
Derin Atay

In teacher education programs, mentoring is generally regarded as a major component of the practicum of preservice teachers; mentors guide the development of preservice teachers and evaluate their readiness to teach independently. Mentoring can also be a highly valuable tool for the professional development of in-service teachers, who need to update their knowledge and skills as they progress in their career and gain familiarity with the expectations of an institution. However, mentoring programs offered for experienced teachers are very rare in Turkey. In-service teachers fulfill their professional development needs by attending seminars or courses and/or try to cope with challenges through informal talks with their colleagues. This chapter reports on a mentoring program provided to experienced EFL teachers and explores the effects of it on the participants. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers. Findings indicate that experienced teachers feel the mentoring program contributes to their professional as well as personal development.


2020 ◽  
pp. 026461962093594
Author(s):  
Eline CM Heppe ◽  
Agnes M Willemen ◽  
Sabina Kef ◽  
Carlo Schuengel

This study evaluated the efficacy of a mentoring program on improving psychosocial functioning of young people with a visual impairment (VI). Furthermore, the impact of experimentally matching mentees to mentors with or without VI on youth outcomes was examined. A total of 76 adolescents with VI (15–22 year; 46% boys) were randomized into a yearlong mentoring program ( n = 51) or care-as-usual ( n = 25). Mentoring involved one-on-one activities within community settings. Psychosocial functioning was improved in all participants during the study ( d = 0.35–1.06); however, mentoring outperformed care-as-usual only for autonomy (95% CI: 0.003, 0.31; d = 0.44) and competence satisfaction (95% CI: 0.02, 0.34; d = 0.55), and not for the other six psychosocial outcomes ( d < 0.36). Matching similarity was not significantly related to the outcomes assessed. Mentoring was of limited benefit for psychosocial functioning of youth with VI. This trial is registered in the Netherlands Trial Register NTR4768.


2018 ◽  
Vol 112 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-286
Author(s):  
Karla Antonelli ◽  
Jamie O'Mally ◽  
Anne Steverson

Introduction Mentors can help college graduates with visual impairments (that is, those with blindness or low vision) prepare for and seek employment in their chosen fields by serving as role models and sharing their experiences with mentees. Identifying mentoring activities and discussions most valued by mentees with visual impairments will facilitate the design of future mentoring programs. Methods A nationwide mentoring program for college students with legal blindness was implemented using an experimental longitudinal research design. Career mentors with legal blindness worked with mentees to develop knowledge and skills related to securing employment. Data included engagement in job-seeking activities, most helpful aspects of the mentoring relationship, and a participant evaluation of the program. Results Most mentees indicated that program activities and discussions related to visual impairment (for instance, disclosure and accommodation planning) and field-specific issues (such as career exploration and professional development) were of greatest value. Participants evaluated the program positively. Discussion Mentees valued knowledge, support, encouragement, and career guidance provided by mentors. Mentors valued the opportunity to contribute to the growth of young professionals with visual impairments. Implications for practitioners Students with visual impairments find value in specific aspects of mentoring relationships, and mentors are eager to work with students seeking employment. Topics and activities for future mentoring programs should include disclosure, accommodations, blindness skills, and job-search skills. Level of visual impairment and the career field should both be considered when pairing mentors with students with visual impairments preparing for employment.


2012 ◽  
Vol 130 (4) ◽  
pp. 252-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina de Castro Nascimento Gonçalves ◽  
Patricia Lacerda Bellodi

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Mentors have been recognized as important elements in the personal and professional development of medical students. However, few investigations have sought to understand their development, needs and difficulties. Our objective was to investigate the perceptions of a group of mentors regarding difficulties experienced over time and the resources used to face up to them. DESIGN AND SETTING: Qualitative exploratory study on mentors at Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP). In the FMUSP Mentoring Program, mentors follow and guide students throughout the course, and are responsible for heterogeneous group of students, in relation to the academic year. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 FMUSP mentors. RESULTS: For many of the mentors, the difficulties related to initial doubts about the role, frustration with the students' attendance and overloading of daily tasks. To address such difficulties, these mentors used external resources and their own life experience and personal way of dealing with situations. Some mentors did not perceive difficulties for themselves or for students. CONCLUSIONS: Like in other mentoring programs, many difficulties perceived by mentors seem to be derived from the context of medical education itself. However, unlike in other experiences, FMUSP mentors do not feel that there is lack of support for their role, since this is regularly provided in the structure and dynamics of the program. The "difficulty in perceiving difficulties", presented by some mentors, demands further investigation for better and greater understanding.


2021 ◽  
Vol 115 (3) ◽  
pp. 204-214
Author(s):  
Michele C. McDonnall ◽  
Zhen S. McKnight

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of visual impairment and correctable visual impairment (i.e., uncorrected refractive errors) on being out of the labor force and on unemployment. The effect of health on labor force status was also investigated. Method: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999 to 2008 ( N = 15,650) was used for this study. Participants were classified into three vision status groups: normal, correctable visual impairment, and visual impairment. Statistical analyses utilized were chi-square and logistic regression. Results: Having a visual impairment was significantly associated with being out of the labor force, while having a correctable visual impairment was not. Conversely, having a correctable visual impairment was associated with unemployment, while having a visual impairment was not. Being out of the labor force was not significantly associated with health for those with a visual impairment, although it was for those with correctable visual impairments and normal vision. Discussion: Given previous research, it was surprising to find that health was not associated with being out of the labor force for those with visual impairments. Perhaps other disadvantages for the people with visual impairments identified in this study contributed to their higher out-of-the-labor-force rates regardless of health. Implications for practitioners: Researchers utilizing national data sets that rely on self-reports to identify visual impairments should realize that some of those who self-identify as being visually impaired may actually have correctable visual impairments. Current research is needed to understand why a majority of people with visual impairments are not seeking employment and have removed themselves from the labor force.


2004 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-16
Author(s):  
Carolyn Vos Strache ◽  
Alana Strong ◽  
Cheree Peterson

The omnipresent physical self remains for young adult females a significant measure of self-worth. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that coping strategies are as complex as they are pervasive as young women strive to maintain positive psychological outlooks despite negatively-perceived physical attributes. Self-presentational concerns may affect one’s activity choice.This study expands on the work of Taylor, Neter, and Wayment (1995) to determine which motives guide the self-evaluation processes of the physical self. An examination of structured interviews identifies which motives direct women in the self-evaluation of their bodies, and concurrently examines whether different motives determine individual response when appraising a “good” versus “not good” physical aspect. Motives, as defined by Taylor et al. (1995), were self-enhancement, self-verification, self-improvement and self-assessment. Interviews were conducted with 30 female, Southern California, undergraduate college students from Southern California, ranging in age from 19-22.A chi-square analysis revealed that women employed different motives in “good” versus “not good” body aspect comparisons (Enhancement: X2 = 21.78 p< .01; Verification: X2 = 10.05 p< .01; Improvement: X2 = 5.15 p< .05). When describing a “good” aspect, women employed the enhancement motive 92 percent of the time, verification 80 percent of the time, and improvement 15 percent of the time. For “not good” aspects, women used enhancement motive 53 percent of the time, verification 98 percent of the time, and improvement 33 percent of the time. Women used more than one motive 74 percent of the time and single motives only 26 percent of the time in the evaluation process. Direct quotes reveal that almost all the women sought out information about themselves when they thought it would reflect favorably. However, when they reported on a “not good” aspect, coping mechanisms included redirecting their attention to more positive characteristics or mentally cordoning off an area of weakness to prevent that attribute from permeating all aspects of their identity. Understanding how we think in the self-evaluation process may offer an explanation why some people are motivated to exercise and why others are not.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carly J. Wilson ◽  
Lindsey E. Eberman ◽  
Ansley S. Redinger ◽  
Elizabeth R. Neil ◽  
Zachary K. Winkelmann

Abstract Background The core competency of patient-centered care (PCC) states that for positive patient outcomes, the provider must respect the patient’s views and recognize their experiences. The Athletic Training Strategic Alliance Research Agenda Task Force identified a profession-wide belief that examining the extent to which athletic trainers (ATs) provide PCC in their clinical practice would benefit the profession. To first address this line of inquiry, we must study the subjectivity of how ATs view PCC. Methods We used Q methodology to allow participants to share their viewpoints while simultaneously exploring the study aim from a quantitative and qualitative perspective. A total of 115 (males = 62, females = 53, age = 37 ± 10 y, experience = 13 ± 10 y) ATs dispersed between 11 job settings volunteered for this study. Participants were asked to pre-sort (agree, disagree, neutral) 36 validated statements representing the 8 dimensions of PCC. The participants completed a Q-sort where they dragged-and-dropped the pre-sorted statements based on perceived importance in providing PCC. The Q-sorts were analyzed using QMethod software. A principal component analysis was used to identify statement rankings and factors. Factors were determined by an Eigenvalue > 1 and analyzed using a scree plot. The 6 highest selected statements per factor were assessed to create the distinguishing viewpoints. Results Two distinguishing viewpoints emerged from the Q-sorts. The statement “ATs treat patients with dignity and respect” appeared as a high ranked statement in both distinguishing viewpoints. The lowest ranked statement from viewpoint 1 was “ATs integrate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) model as a framework for delivery of patient care.” The lowest ranked statement from viewpoint 2 was “Appointment scheduling is easy.” Conclusions ATs value patient’s preferences. However, a lack of importance was identified for incorporating the ICF model, which is a core competency and adopted framework by the NATA since 2015.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 195
Author(s):  
Vera Nova ◽  
Ida Fitria ◽  
M Reza Rifki

This study aims to determine the dynamics of moral reasoning among adolescents who take part in the Islamic mentoring program in Banda Aceh. This study used a case study qualitative approach involving six research subjects from 3 high schools in Banda Aceh who had participated in Islamic mentoring for more than one year. The data collection methods used was interviews, observation and FGD. The data analysis used is thematic analysis. The results of this study shows that the moral reasoning of six research subjects has been at the level of post conventional moral reasoning, social contract orientation stage of legality and moral orientation with universal ethical principles. Dynamic moral reasoning in the six subjects is formed from several factors, namely religious education from parents, religious education in schools especially the mentoring programs, curriculum and mentoring implementation methods, length of time for implementing mentoring, mentoring environment, and continuity of mentoring or length of time following mentoring. 


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document