The Effects of Amount of Contact, Relationship Quality, and Types of Activities on Child Social and Emotional Functioning in a Youth Mentoring Program
Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: Various factors in youth mentoring programs are associated with beneficial outcomes in youth. Extending mentoring research, this pilot study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Y's Brother/Sister program. The particular factors under study included the influence of the amount of contact between mentors and mentees, the self-reported quality of the relationship, and the types of activities engaged in on mentee's mental health. Ten mentees between the ages of 8 and 17 years of age (M = 11.5) were included in the study. Contrary to the hypothesis, the results show that more contact was associated with elevated levels of behavioral and emotional symptoms. However, an interaction between the amount of contact and relationship quality was found. The findings also indicate that discussions and, to a lesser degree, recreational/non-athletic activities predicted fewer symptoms than sports or educational/cultural activities. Implications for future research and mentoring programs are discussed.
Author: Dorothy Maria Lipski
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W794834893