Instrumental Mentoring for Young Adults: A Multi-Method Study

Abstract

Closeness between mentor and mentee is previously defined as an important indicator of relationship quality in youth mentoring, but whether this is the case in instrumental mentoring for young adults remains unclear. This is an exploratory study examining how instrumental mentoring serves young adults in their instrumental needs and how relational closeness develops. We applied a mixed-methods design, using quantitative data from a study of an instrumental mentoring program in Rotterdam, The Netherlands ( N = 53), and qualitative data from a subsample of participants ( N = 10). Two statistically distinctive clusters of closeness were found; 49% of the mentees reported high levels of closeness, and 51% reported low levels of closeness in their mentor relationship. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) showed that the cluster with high levels of closeness was correlated with instrumental compatibility, satisfaction, and perceived attitude similarities. Semi-structured interviews were used to illustrate the role and development of closeness for mentees in both clusters, and three cases were presented. Experiencing closeness seemed a result of receiving instrumental support, not a precondition. Mentees’ previous experiences might in some cases explain the lower levels of closeness, but this did not always hinder mentees to profit from their mentors’ support.

Having no negotiation power does not matter as long as you can think creatively: the moderating role of age

“…However, it might reveal younger negotiators’ need to engage in problem-solving (i.e. collaboration), possibly for instrumental reasons (Schenk et al , 2021), when they have sufficient power to do so. Moreover, the creativity by age interaction was significant and showed that negotiators in the high creativity condition were more collaborative the younger they were.…”

“…We further found that low-power negotiators reported using more collaboration when in the high creativity condition and younger. This finding might be explained by the instrumental goals of low-power individuals, especially when they are younger (Schenk et al , 2021), which prompts them to make use of any opportunity they are offered to think creatively and find mutually beneficial solutions to conflicts with powerful others.…”

School-based Mentoring in Secondary Education: Its Effect on School Climate and Aggression Among Peers

“…In many schools, mentors are adults from the community who meet weekly with their assigned young people on school premises (Karcher, 2008), although in Spain it is usually the school's teaching staff. On the part of mentors, it might be useful for them to provide adolescents with support that also contributes to their personal development through goal setting; goal setting that underpins holistic development can give adolescents a sense of control over the issues they face on a daily basis, as well as help to strengthen personal relationships of school mentoring (Schenk et al, 2021). Moreover, given that school-based mentoring is one of a teacher's responsibilities in Spain, it is essential that training programs be organized to improve upon its effectiveness.…”

Finding fit in friction: the value of contrast in mentoring for leadership development

“…Consequently, certain relationships help people meet their “instrumental” needs (i.e. skills and competencies building, career knowledge), while others help them meet their needs to grow personally, self-identify with their tasks and/or organization, or express their aspirations and sense of purpose in relation to their tasks and organization (Kahn, 2007, p. 194; Schenk et al. , 2021, p. 400).…”