Background of Study
There has been significant growth in youth mentoring in the fields of positive youth development and prevention research (Rhodes 2002). This trend has been maintained by the idea that supportive relationships existing between nonparental adults and the youth, either through formal or informal mentoring programs help the youth in achieving positive outcomes (Scales, 2003). Mentoring encompasses three elements: a mentor with more wisdom and experience than the mentee, a mentor offering guidance that facilitates the development growth of a mentee, and an emotional bond that develops between the mentor and mentee (DuBois & Karcher, 2005). Naturally occurring mentoring relationships have been described as emotional bonds between a nonparental adult and youth (DuBois & Karcher, 2005). Such mentoring relationships have been associated with decreased use of drugs and alcohol, a decrease in delinquent engagement among high-risk youth (Zimmerman, Bigenheimer, & Notaro, 2002), increased pro-school attitudes, and improved behavioral, academic, and social outcomes (Herrera, et al., 2007). The U.S. high-risk Latino youth population could greatly benefit from natural occurring mentoring relationships. This is because they face various adversities associated with living in poverty (Lopez, & Velasco, 2011), exposure to gangs Pew Hispanic, having limited proficiency in English (Fortuny et al., 2009), and adjusting to a dominant white culture (Calzada, Fernandez, & Cortes, 2010).
The Problem Statement
Various characteristics of mentoring relationships that have been known to contribute to the effectiveness of mentoring include; the amount of time the mentee and mentor spend together, their perceived emotional closeness, the mentor’s age, and the mentor’s self-efficacy. However, few characteristics have been discovered beyond the above mentioned. There are two different types of mentoring relationships: formal and informal. There also exists an insufficiency of research that has investigated the characteristics of naturally occurring mentoring relationships, which has made it difficult for empirical investigations to be carried out on the consequences and predictors of natural mentors and relationships.
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There is a need for more information to better the understanding of how nonparental mentors protect high-risk youth from the numerous adverse risks that are associated with the adversities they often face (Sanchez, Esparza, & Colon, 2008). In tackling this dearth, exploratory research designs are to be utilized in gaining a more informed understanding of organic mentorships, since most of the currently existing research on natural mentoring relationships have been carried out under a quantitative lens. According to Dubois and Karcher, much of the available studies have focused on the absence of presence of natural mentoring relationships, but have not looked into the type of interactions which occur and how such relationships evolve (DuBois & Karcher, 2005). Recent studies show that natural mentors’ presence among high-risk Latino youth predicts higher educational expectations, fewer school absences, positive academic outcomes, and increased school belonging (Sanchez et al., 2008). However, limited research has been done on the characteristics of natural mentoring relationships among Latino youth, as most studies are centered on outcomes.
Purpose Statement
The aim of the study is exploring natural mentoring relationship qualities among high-risk Latino youth. Its focus will be on characteristics rather than outcomes. An exploratory qualitative method will be employed as qualitative research is recommended for unexplored or new topics (Hill, 2011), and natural mentoring relationships is a construct that has not been exhaustively defined. Semi-structured individual interviews will be conducted among Latino adolescents and their adult mentors to gain a better understanding of the qualities of their mentoring relationship including cultural factors influencing one’s likelihood of acquiring a natural mentor, and psychological and social factors that affect the formation of the mentoring relationship.
Significance of the Study
Findings from this research could shed to light the importance of understanding the qualities which contribute to the development of natural mentoring relationships. In-depth information on the characteristics of nonparental adults and youth who have successfully created natural mentoring relationships can be used in informing and sustaining existing formal mentoring programs, fostering characteristics in Latin youth who are incapable of sustaining such mentoring connections, and to train and efficiently select adult mentors in the mentoring programs. Furthermore, the results could be employed in informing program, practitioners, theoreticians, researchers, policy makers, and funders in their development of culturally relevant, theory-informed programs which promote adaptive interpersonal skills in the youth, increasing their likelihood of developing strong ties their nonparental adult mentors.
References
DuBois D. L., & Karcher, M. J. (2005). Handbook of youth mentoring. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications
Calzada, E. J., Fernandez, Y., & Cortes, D. E. (2010). Incorporating the cultural value of respeto into a framework of Latino parenting. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 16, 77-86
Fortuny, K., Capps, R., Simms, M., & Chaudry, A. (2009). Children of immigrants: National and state characteristics (Policy Brief 9). Washington, DC: The Urban Institute
Herrera, C., Grossman, J. B., Kauh, T. J., Feldman, A. F., & McMaken, J., & Jucovy, L. Z. (2007). Making a difference in schools: The big brothers big sisters school-based mentoring impact study. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures
Hill, C.E. (Ed.) (2011). Consensual qualitative research: A practical resource for 87 investigating social science phenomena . Washington DC: American Psychological Association
Lopez, M.H., & Velasco, G. (2011). The Toll of the Great Recession: Childhood poverty among Hispanics sets record, leads nation . Decade . Washington, DC: Pew Hispanic Center, Retrieved from: http://pewhispanic.org/files/reports/147.pdf
Rhodes, J. E. (2002). Stand by me: The risk and rewards of mentoring today’s youth. Massachusetts: Harvard University Press
Sanchez, B., Esparza, P., & Colon, Y. (2008). Natural mentoring under the microscope: An investigation of mentoring relationships and Latino adolescents’ academic performance. Journal of Community Psychology, 36, 468-482
Scales, P. C. (2003). Other people’s kids: Social expectations and American adult’s involvement with children and adolescents . New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum
Zimmerman, M.A., Bingenheimer, J.B., and Notaro, P.C., (2002). "Natural Mentors and Adolescent Resiliency: A Study With Urban Youth." American Journal of Community Psychology, 30, 221-243
