Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Search Institute, Minneapolis, USA.
J Youth Adolesc. 2022 Apr;51(4):805-819. doi: 10.1007/s10964-022-01584-7. Epub 2022 Feb 22.
Youth mentors' efficacy beliefs and relational skills should both influence the quality of their connections with their mentees, but a lack of research based on large, dyadic and longitudinal samples limits understanding of how mentor characteristics impact relationship quality. This study used three staged and process-focused structural equation models to (1) investigate the mutually reinforcing effects of mentor self-efficacy and empathy over time; (2) compare the longitudinal effects of mid-program mentor efficacy and empathy on end of program mentor and mentee perceptions of relationship quality; and (3) test a similar comparative model using cross-sectional end of program assessments to account for developmental changes in these variables over time. The sample consisted of 664 college-age mentor (76.5% female; [Formula: see text] age = 24.5, range = 21-53; 23.5% non-White) and youth mentee (41% female; [Formula: see text] age = 14.1, range = 10-19; 41.9% non-White) dyads. Mentor empathy predicted mentor perceptions of relationship quality at both time points and mentee perceptions at the end of the program. Mentor efficacy only predicted mentor reported relationship quality at the end of the program. The findings emphasize the importance of investing in empathy training for mentors to support both partners' positive evaluation of the relationship. Program support to increase mentor self-efficacy should also have added value for mentors.
青年导师的效能信念和关系技能都应该影响他们与被指导者关系的质量，但缺乏基于大样本、对偶和纵向样本的研究限制了对导师特征如何影响关系质量的理解。本研究使用三阶段和注重过程的结构方程模型来：(1) 随着时间的推移，调查导师自我效能感和同理心的相互增强效应；(2) 比较中期计划导师效能感和同理心对计划结束时导师和被指导者对关系质量的感知的纵向影响；(3) 使用计划结束时的横截面评估来测试一个类似的比较模型，以解释这些变量随时间的发展变化。样本由 664 名大学生导师（76.5%女性；[公式：见文本]年龄=24.5，范围=21-53；23.5%非白人）和青年被指导者（41%女性；[公式：见文本]年龄=14.1，范围=10-19；41.9%非白人）组成。导师同理心预测了导师在两个时间点的关系质量感知和被指导者在计划结束时的关系质量感知。导师效能感仅预测了计划结束时导师报告的关系质量。研究结果强调了为导师提供同理心培训的重要性，以支持双方对关系的积极评价。为提高导师自我效能感而提供的计划支持也应该对导师有额外的价值。
