Not Easily Broken: Examining the Persistence of Mentor-Mentee Relationships on Student Achievement

• In Event: Getting Over Being Racialized: Critical Perspectives on Mentoring

Abstract

Purpose:
Literature suggests time is a key factor in effective mentor-mentee relationships (Rhodes et al., 2002). As established by the Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate program, mentors are required to remain in the program with the same mentee for two years. The purpose of this study is to examine the persistence of mentor-mentee relationships and the effects on student achievement.

Perspective:
The mentoring literature sees the relationship between mentor and mentee as key to the later success of the mentee in education, and studies show that the longer the relationship lasts the more benefits accrues to the mentee. However, most of the measures of benefit are psychological. There is little evidence that positive educational outcomes can be attributed to mentoring. This study addresses this gap in the literature directly. This study hypothesized that longer mentor-mentee relationships lead to more positive student outcomes than short-term relationships.
Methods
Using North Carolina administrative data sources, this paper is based on regression analyses (n=1008) that examine the relationships between mentor/mentee persistence and student outcomes. Various measures of outcomes were used, including attendance, disciplinary actions, graduation rates, and several achievement test scores.

Results:
The results are mixed. In general, the longer the relationship the more the effect on behavior (attendance and discipline). However, effects on achievement seem to be limited to some literacy and social studies measures, and these effects are modest at best.

Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work:
Mentor-mentee relationships offer opportunities for social mobility to both parties. With much attention placed on narrowing or closing the Black-white test score and opportunity gaps, the role of mentoring may be an untapped intervention. Examining not only the presence of a mentor, but also the longevity of mentor-mentee relationships may provide a deeper understanding of the mentoring process.
References
Rhodes, J.E., Reddy, R., Grossman, J.B., & Lee, J.M. (2002). Volunteer mentoring relationships with minority youth: An analysis of same-versus cross-race matches. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32(10), 2114-2133.

Author

• Shanyce L. Campbell, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill