Conceptualizing Mentoring and the Development and Validation of the Mentoring Support Scale

• In Event: Diverse Perspectives on Mentoring, Belonging, and Achieving: Insights From Alumni, Advisors, and Students

Abstract

Higher education has increasingly focused on developing students’ lifelong learning competences through mentoring. However, the absence of a clear conceptualization of mentoring and the limited number of validated instruments that are grounded in theory jeopardize research on the effects of mentoring programs. Therefore, the current study aimed at developing and validating a theoretically sound instrument based on a systematic literature review. This resulted in the development of a 35-item questionnaire. Data were collected in four mentoring programs, and subsequently analyzed through exploratory factor analysis (n = 225), confirmatory factor analysis (n = 208), and cross-validation (n = 101). The results support a 6-factor model (21 items) that is statistically valid and reliable for use in universities (of applied sciences).

Authors

• Wendy Nuis, Maastricht University
  Presenting Author

• Mien Segers, Maastricht University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Simon Beausaert, Maastricht University
  Non-Presenting Author