Stages of Mentoring: An Analysis of an Intervention for Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents

Abstract

A qualitative analysis of 51 matches between volunteer mentors and pregnant adolescents is discussed in terms of problems that occurred and reasons relating to early termination of the match. In each of three stages of the relationship, different issues related to the behavior and interpersonal process between members of the match created problems. In stage one, the mentors had difficulty establishing the match when there was avoidance, distrust, and testing behavior on the part of the mentee. Fear of intimacy and rejection seemed to underlie these relationship difficulties. In stage two, which encompassed the birth of the adolescent's child, conflict occurred when mentees' demands overwhelmed the mentors. In the third stage, difficulties discussing termination or continuation of the relationship led to disengagement and less frequent contact. Recommendations are provided to help mentors and mentees navigate the problems in each of these stages.

Immediate and Longer-Term Connections Between Support and Stress in Pregnant/Parenting and Non-Pregnant/Non-Parenting Adolescents

“…First, the results imply that efforts to build a network of support, both formal and informal, should have lasting benefits for pregnant and parenting adolescents. A number of such community interventions have been found to be effective in building support and resources for young mothers, including mentoring programs (e.g., Bogat et al 2008), school-based programs (e.g., Saunders and Saunders 2002), collaborative services (Rothenberg and Weissman 2002), prenatal and well-baby health care (Koniak-Griffin et al 2000), affordable child care (Camerana et al 1998), and parent education programs (Quint 1991). The results of the present study indicate that such efforts should help adolescents cope with the potential stress of pregnancy and parenthood.…”

Developing and piloting a peer mentoring intervention to reduce teenage pregnancy in looked-after children and care leavers: an exploratory randomised controlled trial

“…As has been found in a number of RCTs based in social care 181 and trials of peer mentoring, 162 we experienced considerable difficulties in achieving the target recruitment, which delayed the start of the intervention. Determining the reasons for non-participation amongst young women aged 14-18 years was difficult as social workers provided only the names of the young women who they felt were suitable and who had agreed to be contacted by the researchers.…”

“…161 Building rapport and trust and maintaining a strong emotional connection may be particularly difficult for LAC, many of whom will have experienced relationship breakdowns in the past, 111 and this in turn may affect the motivations of the mentors. 162 Frequency of contact and length of the mentoring relationship Different mentoring programmes adopt different arrangements for the frequency and length of contact between mentors and mentees. A Canadian review of the literature 144 recommended that adult mentors and young people spend between 2 and 5 hours together every week over a minimum of 12 months.…”

The Career Development of Adolescent Mothers: A Review of 25 Years of Professional Literature

“…Support for effective interventions. Mentoring relationships were cited as one of the most prevalent and effective interventions in furthering the career development of adolescent parents (e.g., Bogat et al, 2008). The eight studies examining mentor relationships evaluated naturally occurring or matched volunteer mentoring relationships with adult women in the community (Blinn-Pike, McDaniel, Mingus, & Mutti, 1998).…”

“…Most literature on adolescent mothers addresses their personal and academic issues, providing little information about adolescent mothers after graduation, specifically their career development and future life planning. Given the negative outcomes associated with adolescent motherhood, such as financial hardship (Bogat, Liang, & Rigol-Dahn, 2008), effective career development may be a framework that can be used to positively enhance the lives of adolescent mothers. Therefore, this literature review explores the existing professional literature on adolescent mothers' career development.…”