Posted by eporter on May 28, 2024
Mentoring Central Publishes Cutting-Edge Research Findings and Strategies for Mentoring Programs
Mentoring Central is dedicated to developing and delivering products and services designed to produce effective mentoring relationships and positively impact the lives of youth. In addition to developing high-quality, research-based mentoring training programs, our team of research scientists and subject matter experts write publications to share cutting-edge strategies and research findings to help program staff elevate the quality of their mentoring programs.
Last year, the American Journal of Community Psychology featured three articles authored by Mentoring Central’s researchers in a virtual special issue entitled “Striving for Safety, Impact, and Equity: A Critical Consideration of AJCP Publications on Formal Youth Mentoring Programs.” This special issue compiles articles detailing the latest research in the field of youth mentoring with critical implications for mentoring programs.
“Predictors of Premature Match Closure in Youth Mentoring Relationships” is one article featured in the special issue authored by Mentoring Central researchers Drs. Janis Kupersmidt, Katie Stump, and Rebecca Stelter, as well as Dr. Jean Rhodes of the University of Massachusetts Boston. The article provides helpful insight for mentoring programs by outlining the factors that predict early termination of youth mentoring relationships. The article discusses findings from an analysis of match and youth risk information from 170 mentoring programs across the United States. The study found that adolescent mentees, family risk factors, and risky health behaviors are predictors of premature match closure. These findings have important implications for mentoring programs, as premature match endings can contribute to negative behavioral outcomes for mentees. The article concludes by suggesting practices that programs can use to address these risk factors to prevent premature match closure. To read the full article, visit https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajcp.12124.
The second featured article by Mentoring Central researchers, entitled “Supporting Mentoring Relationships of Youth in Foster Care: Do Program Practices Predict Match Length?” is also authored by Drs. Kupersmidt, Stelter, and Stump. The article provides important insight about how mentoring programs can best support mentees who are in foster care. Mentees in foster care are shown to have shorter mentoring relationships that are more likely to end prematurely than mentees who are not in foster care. The article details findings from an analysis of how Benchmark program practices and Standards outlined in the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring impact the longevity of matches involving a mentee in foster care. To read the full text, visit https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajcp.12246.
The third featured article authored by Mentoring Central researchers Drs. Stump, Kupersmidt, and Stelter, as well as Dr. Rhodes, is entitled “Mentoring Program Enhancements Supporting Effective Mentoring of Children of Incarcerated Parents.” Children of incarcerated parents are at risk for many negative behavioral outcomes; however, this article explores how mentoring can mitigate these negative outcomes. The article outlines findings from an analysis of 70,729 matches to examine how enhanced mentoring practices impact the outcomes of mentees with an incarcerated parent. The analysis found that when programs provided specialized mentor training, established specific program goals, and received additional funding, mentees experienced longer and stronger matches and higher educational expectations, among other positive outcomes. To read the full article, visit https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajcp.12250.
Mentoring Central researchers regularly publish research findings that help mentoring programs support matches and foster positive outcomes. To stay up to date on our latest publications and research, sign up for the Mentoring Central newsletter by visiting https://mentoringcentral.net/contact/.