Can Mentoring Promote Self-esteem and School Connectedness? An Evaluation of the Mentor-UP Project

Abstract

Since the 1990s mentoring has become popular as an intervention strategy specifically designed to enhance at-risk youth well-being (Rhodes, Ebert, & Fischer, 1992; Wheeler, Keller, & Dubois, 2010). Research findings showing the positive effects of mentoring programs, along with the increasing number of low-income families, encouraged the proliferation of mentoring programs for disadvantaged youth (

Canadian adolescents’ solitude experiences, self-perceptions, and well-being

“…Studies advocate for children to learn how to recognize, express, and regulate their emotions before interacting with others during middle childhood and adolescence (Bamps et al, 2022), since during this period they must use emotion-related skills to develop sophisticated social problem-solving skills in complex social interactions. Social emotional skills during solitude, such as reflection and creative thinking should therefore be taught within specific age ranges such as later childhood and early adolescence (Marino et al, 2020).…”

Results of Mentoring in the Psychosocial Well-Being of Young Immigrants and Refugees in Spain

“…The results of the scientific evaluations that have been carried out to date highlight that youth mentoring is related to better physical and mental health, as well as to fewer symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts among young people [5]. An extensive body of research shows that the programmes increase the self-esteem [7,8] and personal satisfaction of the mentee [3] in addition to reducing their levels of stress and anxiety, which is particularly important when it comes to immigrants or refugees, some of them in an irregular situation, who have just arrived to the country and are under great stress due to the integration process in which they find themselves [9,10]. The scientific literature has also reported good results regarding social competencies and communication skills [8].…”

Tecnología digital y nuevas formas de evaluar el apoyo social en la mentoría de menores

“…Por lo general, las evaluaciones de estos programas indican que existe un efecto significativo, aunque modesto, para los menores en las áreas conductual, socioemocional y académica (con valores de la g de Hedges entre 0.18 a 0.21; Raposa et al, 2019y DuBois et al, 2011, 2002a. Por ejemplo, algunos trabajos han demostrado el impacto positivo de la mentoría para fortalecer la salud mental de los menores en situación de riesgo (Barry et al, 2018;Erdem et al, 2016;Bowers et al, 2015), incluyendo un aumento de la autoestima (Alarcón et al, 2021;Marino et al, 2019;Lee et al, 2015;Karcher, 2008) y una mejora de la percepción que tienen éstos de las relaciones con sus padres, sus iguales y otros adultos (Chan et al, 2013;Karcher, 2005;DuBois et al, 2002b;Rhodes et al, 2000). Otros estudios también sugieren que puede disminuir los problemas de comportamiento externalizantes -como el uso de la violencia (Jolliffe y Farrington, 2008) o el consumo de sustancias (Erdem y Kaufman, 2020)-, mejorar el rendimiento escolar (Herrera et al, 2011) y favorecer la implicación en redes locales (Raithelhuber, 2021;Shier et al, 2018;Stanton-Salazar, 2011;Erickson et al, 2009).…”