Does Natural Mentoring Matter? A Multilevel Meta‐analysis on the Association Between Natural Mentoring and Youth Outcomes

Abstract

In this meta‐analytic review, we examined the relation between natural mentoring and youth outcomes in four domains: academic and vocational functioning, social‐emotional development, physical health, and psychosocial problems. Natural mentoring relationships are thought to foster positive youth development and buffer against the risks associated with the tumultuous years of adolescence. Two separate meta‐analyses were conducted on the presence of a natural mentor and the quality of the natural mentoring relationship, including thirty studies from 1992 to present. The findings indicated that the presence of a natural mentor was significantly associated with positive youth outcomes (r = .106). A larger effect size was found for the quality of the natural mentoring relationship in terms of relatedness, social support, and autonomy support (r = .208). The largest effect sizes were found for social‐emotional development and academic and vocational functioning. Risk‐status (e.g., teenage mothers, homeless youth, youth in foster care, and youth of alcoholic parents) did not moderate the relation between presence and quality of natural mentoring relationships and youth outcomes, which may indicate that natural mentors are generally beneficial for all youth regardless of risk‐status. Implications for theory and practice concerning the quality of the natural mentoring relationship are discussed.

Mentoring Matters in Workplace: The Impact of Formal Mentoring Program on EFL Instructors’ Performance at ELI, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia

“…Additionally, as the compassionate presence of the mentor and relatedness emerge to be significant association extents impacting constructive youth improvement, the mentor-mentee connection may also be examined from the standpoint of attachment theory (Van Dam et al 2018). Numerous research studies propose that several factors, such as rate of recurrence or constancy of relationship between mentors-mentees or point of continuing programme support, may affect youths' and mentors' discernments of associational worth or counterpart coordination (Martin & Sifers, 2012;Larose et al, 2015;Zhou et al, 2018).…”

Collective Efficacy as a Key Context in Neighborhood Support for Urban Youth

“…Opportunities for youth engagement in prosocial activities with adults in supportive environments are also critical to behavioral health, as well as protective against risky behaviors (e.g., alcohol and other drug use, involvement in delinquent behaviors) (Miranda‐Chan, Fruiht, Dubon, & Wray‐Lake, ; Reynolds & Parrish, ; Van Dam et al., ). In addition to the influence of parents, the supportive role of “other” adults, sometimes referred to as non‐parental adults, significantly contributes to young people's growth and development (DuBois & Silverthorn, ; Fruiht & Chan, ; Hurd, Tan, & Loeb, ; Raposa, Dietz, & Rhodes, ; Sánchez, Hurd, Neblett, & Vaclavik, ; Sánchez, Mroczkowski et al., ; Schwartz & Rhodes, ), despite their risk status (Van Dam et al., ). Non‐parental adults are teachers, coaches, clergy, neighbors, or extended family through whom youth gain guidance, social support, role modeling, opportunities for skill building, and advocacy.…”

“…Non‐parental adults are teachers, coaches, clergy, neighbors, or extended family through whom youth gain guidance, social support, role modeling, opportunities for skill building, and advocacy. Extant literature demonstrates the importance of non‐parental adult support across developmental contexts, including the family, religious organizations, schools, and neighborhood involvements, (Hagler, ; Van Dam et al., ). With the growth of neighborhood effects research highlighting the importance of neighborhood context on youth outcomes (Bolland & McCallum, ; Dupéré, Leventhal, & Vitaro, ; Raposa, Erickson, Hagler, & Rhodes, ), there is a need for better understanding of the role of neighborhood non‐parental adults where youth reside.…”

The contribution of mentoring to the life skills of youth leaving care in Israel

“…A recent multilevel meta‐analysis on the association between natural mentoring and youth outcomes showed a positive association, with social–emotional and academic and vocational functioning benefitting the most (Van Dam et al, ). Results also showed that regardless of risk status (including youth in foster care), natural mentoring was beneficial.…”