The Role of Family Relationships in Youth Mentoring: An Ecological Perspective

• In Event: The Influence of Family Relationships: A Snapshot in Four Contexts Across Three Developmental Stages

Abstract

Introduction. Ecological frameworks broadly support social relationships as important contexts for youth development (García Coll et al., 1996; Keller & Blakeslee, 2013). Decades of youth development research has established both familial and non-familial youth-adult relationships as influential factors in academic, social, and behavioral development (Caughlin & Huston, 2010; Thomson, 2006). Mentoring is a popular intervention designed to promote youth development through establishing non-familial youth-adult relationships; however, the role of familial relationships is seldom considered as a potential moderator of mentoring’s effects on youth (for an exception, see Keller, 2005). Mentoring programs may be placing too much emphasis on the mentor-mentee dyadic relationship and may be overlooking other important factors contributing to youth development. The role of families is critical in both promoting and inhibiting youth developmental competencies, especially for racial/ethnic minority children, by sending messages in accordance and discordance with other systems’ (e.g., school, faith organizations) values and social processes (García Coll et al., 1996). Because mentoring programs typically match mentors with disadvantaged, minority youth (Liang & West, 2007), they would be remiss not to consider the family processes that influence the youth they serve.

Hypotheses. The current exploratory study takes an ecological approach, guided by García Coll and colleagues’ (1996) integrated conceptual model of child development, to examine the role of family relationships in promoting or inhibiting youth mentoring outcomes. Family relationships are hypothesized to be predictive of salient youth outcomes (e.g., self-esteem and problem behaviors) and to moderate the relationship between mentoring and youth outcomes.

Study Population. This study uses data collected from 2010-2012 as part of a larger, ongoing evaluation of the Young Women Leaders Program (YWLP), a gender-specific school-based mentoring program. Participants were from three cohorts of seventh grade girls either in the treatment group (n = 69) or the control group (n = 59); the treatment group participated in YWLP and received school-based mentoring over the course of an academic year, while the control group did not. All participants were identified by school counselors as being at risk for academic, behavioral, or social concerns.

Methods. Data was collected pre- and post-mentoring intervention in the form of self-report surveys. Participants completed the Family Relationship Characteristics Scale to assess various dimensions of family functioning and relationships (Tolan et al., 1997); the Self-Esteem Questionnaire to assess global self-esteem (DuBois et al., 1996); the Problem Behavior Frequency Scale to assess problem behaviors (Farrell et al., 2000); and various questions pertaining to demographics.

Results. Preliminary multiple linear regression results suggest that different dimensions of family relationships (e.g., family support, family beliefs) were associated with favorable youth outcomes (e.g., lower rates of delinquency) but did not moderate the relationship between mentoring intervention status and youth outcomes. In light of these results, the authors will discuss the role of mentors and families in preventing and promoting youth outcomes. Participants will learn about newer ways to conceptualize mentoring programming for promoting positive youth outcomes.

Authors

• Sarah Kassabian Downey, University of Virginia - Charlottesville
  Presenting Author

• Michael Lyons, University of Virginia - Charlottesville
  Non-Presenting Author