Supporting autonomy in youth mentoring relationships

Abstract

The preference for and exercise of autonomous decisionmaking in adolescence is a normative developmental process. Yet, increased autonomy is associated with both risks and benefits. Connection to others through positive relationships, including mentoring relationships, is one context that predicts healthy autonomous decision-making. In other ways, such relationships can interfere or stifle the development of autonomy. In synthesizing the existing scientific literature on autonomy development and autonomy-supportive practices, we propose a framework for considering the role of mentors in supporting autonomy through five domains of influence: role modeling, encouraging, providing access to resources, relationships, and experiences, advocacy, and conversations about behavior change. We provide suggestions for research and practice.

Initial perception of the mentoring role and related mentors' approach of autonomy support or control in formal youth mentoring relationships

“…Following the identified positive as well as risk factors in formal mentoring bonds, the recent discussion in the field has turned to new approaches to mentoring interventions. The focus is now put on the youth‐centred approaches, empowering young mentees with supporting youths' autonomy and well‐being (Brumovska, 2017; Davis & McQuillin, 2022) or more generally addressing and facilitating mentees' social capital (Prieto‐Flores et al, 2020). While the concept of empowerment is broad and often ambiguously applied in youth work (Martinez et al, 2016), we argue that the goal of the formal mentoring interventions should remain in fostering the functions, quality, and benefits of natural mentoring relationships with focus on positive individual development of mentees, with youth‐centred approach and the best interest of the child (Brumovska, 2017; Brumovska & Malkova, 2010).…”

“…The concept of autonomy as a basic human need conceptualised in Self‐determination theory (SDT, Ryan & Deci, 1985) provides theoretical insight into the benefits of autonomy support for the development of young people facilitated in youth‐adult bonds. Davis and McQuillin (2022) recently discussed the benefits of support of autonomy development in youths, specifically applied to youth mentoring. They argued that these benefits can be facilitated by mentors through five domains in the mentors' role: Role modelling; encouragement; provision of access to resources, relationships, and experiences; advocacy and conversation about behaviour change.…”

Expanding the reach of psychosocial services for youth: Untapped potential of mentor‐delivered single session interventions

“…Mentors, or adults or older peers who serve as caring, positive figures (Hagler et al, 2017), offer immense and largely untapped potential for increasing the reach of psychological support for young people: In 2015, the estimated number of mentors serving in formal youth mentoring programs in the United States was 2.59 million (Raposa et al, 2019), which was 25 times higher than the number of licensed psychologists in the same year (APA, 2015). In addition to their sheer number and prevalence, mentors exhibit youth‐helping behaviors (A. L. Davis & McQuillin, 2022) and are often ubiquitous in public sector settings, such as nonprofit and religious organizations and schools (Garringer et al, 2017). This positioning allows youth mentoring to increase the accessibility of services within individuals' existing communities, and thus (a) likely makes services more acceptable and effective through coordination with the existing community system (Belling et al, 2011), and (b) offers structural advantages over traditional, brick‐and‐mortar clinic service delivery models.…”

Mental health literacy training for college female peer mentors: a pilot study

“…Peer mentoring relationships are positively associated with increased academic and professional performance (Asgari and Carter, 2016). The development of healthy personal autonomy and decision-making, as opposed to unsafe autonomous behaviors, is essential to adolescent development (Davis and McQuillin, 2022). Mentorship, according to Davis and McQuillan, provides a non-coercive and authoritatively based relationship, unlike the relationship adolescents have with their parents, teachers, or counselors (Davis and McQuillin, 2022).…”

“…The development of healthy personal autonomy and decision-making, as opposed to unsafe autonomous behaviors, is essential to adolescent development (Davis and McQuillin, 2022). Mentorship, according to Davis and McQuillan, provides a non-coercive and authoritatively based relationship, unlike the relationship adolescents have with their parents, teachers, or counselors (Davis and McQuillin, 2022). While there are risks attributed to increased access and utilization of technology and social media, technology also presents a high potential for increased opportunity for creative exploration and learning due to greater access to knowledge on the Internet, experimentation and identity exploration (Giedd, 2022).…”