NCJ Number
228626
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 38 Issue: 10 Dated: November 2009 Pages: 1339-1350
Date Published
November 2009
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This Israeli study examined the association between mentoring relationship qualities and the mentoree's functioning.
Abstract
The study found the following characteristics of the mentoring relationship to be positively associated with the children's social and academic adjustment: closeness, dependency, and unrealistic expectations for the continuation and deepening of the relationship beyond the planned period. The unexpected finding of the link between mentoree positive functioning and his/her dependency and unrealistic expectations of the deepening of the mentoring relationship beyond the planned period may be related to children's desire to promote their self-worth and the continuation into the future of factors associated with satisfying experiences and states of mind. Although dependent relationships are generally regarded negatively in individualistic societies and are expected to lead to negative outcomes, the meaning and implications of dependency may be different in other cultures. Although Israeli society is similar to the United States in its focus on individualistic values, compared with the United States, Israel is more collectivistic in its emphasis on community and family. Thus, the formation of close and dependent relationships with adults might not be viewed as problematic and may even be expected in Israeli society. In another finding, perceptions of mentors and mentorees regarding their relationships were not significantly associated. Why this was so is not clear. Mentorees were drawn from six elementary schools in a low socioeconomic neighborhood in a district served by the mentoring program. The 84 children were approximately evenly divided between girls and boys. Mentors were bachelor-degree students from universities and colleges. Reports by mentors and the children were used to assess qualities of closeness and dependency, as well as unrealistic expectations. Assessment occurred during the first month of the mentoring period and during the last month of the 8-month mentoring period. 2 tables and 60 references