Six degrees of separation: an exploratory network analysis of mentoring relationships in pediatric psychology.

OBJECTIVE

The present study is an exploratory social network analysis of mentee-mentor relationships in the field of pediatric psychology.

METHOD

An online survey was distributed to members of the Division 54 Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP) listserv asking them to name up to 10 psychologists from whom they had "received mentoring" and who influenced their careers. Directed network analyses were conducted to examine features of the resulting mentoring network.

RESULTS

Participants reported receiving mentoring in a wide variety of relationships and settings. The average "degrees of separation" between individuals in the network was 5.30.

CONCLUSION

: The field of pediatric psychology is interconnected with professionals learning from multiple mentors in multiple settings, extending beyond just graduate student advisors. Overall, many different mentors were listed, and there does not appear to be only one or two individuals providing the majority of mentoring within the field.