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ERIC Number: EJ833449
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Mar
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0278-095X
EISSN: N/A
"She Gives Me a Break from the World": Formal Youth Mentoring Relationships between Adolescent Girls and Adult Women
Spencer, Renee; Liang, Belle
Journal of Primary Prevention, v30 n2 p109-130 Mar 2009
Formal mentoring programs have historically tended to match youth with same-sex mentors; more recently, mentoring programs designed specifically for girls have begun cropping up in response to theories on gender and adolescent girls' psychological health and development, which suggest girls have particular psychosocial needs and ways of relating. Yet, there have been few empirical studies that explicitly examine the relational processes in adolescent girls' relationships with female mentors from the perspectives of the participants themselves. In the present study, qualitative interviews conducted with 12 female youth-adult pairs of participants (N = 24) in a one-to-one community-based mentoring program were analyzed thematically using a holistic-content approach. Examining these participants' narratives about their experiences in the program, three interrelated relational processes were identified: (a) engaged and authentic emotional support; (b) the development of new skills and confidence through collaborations; and, (c) experiences of companionship that provided relief from daily stresses. Editors' Strategic Implications: The focus on female dyads and relationships will richly inform further studies of the process of mentoring and provide insights for practitioners of a variety of gender-specific prevention programs.
Springer. 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-348-4505; e-mail: service-ny@springer.com; Web site: http://www.springerlink.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A