1 - (SYM 2) Effects of Multi-tiered Mentoring on Promotive and Protective Factors in the School Context

Mentoring relationships between adolescents and adults (i.e., intergenerational mentoring) are associated with better academic and social-emotional functioning among youth (Hagler & Rhodes, 2018; Raposa et al., 2019). Although,  research findings are mixed. Given the nature of adolescence, including the resistance to adult authority figures, as well as prevalence of peer pressure, and the importance of status and acceptance, it is possible that other configurations of mentoring may be more effective to increase protective and promotive factors among youth. Consistent with this thinking, more recent research has examined the effects of cross-age mentoring on promoting positive outcomes among adolescents. Findings from a recent meta-analysis show potential benefits of cross-age mentoring among youth (Burton et al., 2021). However, findings are dependent upon several contextual effects including adult supervision in the school setting. Moreover, mentoring effects also vary by gender (Rhodes et al., 2008).  

Both early and late adolescents experience significant transitions, often leading to increased mental health concerns. For example, research shows that college students struggle with increased loneliness (Kirwan et al., 2023) and mental health issues (Campbell et al., 2022).  Similarly, early adolescents experience increased depression and anxiety. To date, there is a lack of research using a strength-based approach targeting protective using a multi-tiered mentoring model. The focus of the current study examines the effect of mentoring on increasing protective factors among adolescents.

The school is an important developmental context which can either promote or undermine adolescents’ social and emotional development. Consistent with a multi-tiered mentoring model, trained college students can provide requisite resources and support to increase early adolescents’ protective factors. Promoting community partnerships between neighboring schools and colleges can increase the fabric of the community, benefiting both institutions to grow and thrive, while simultaneously serving the students within each context. Community-based approaches have become increasingly prevalent when designing effective methodologies to increase protective factors among both typical and at-risk early adolescents. The current presentation will describe an innovative approach to building protective factors over time for both early and late adolescents. Data will be shared highlighting the power of effective mentoring in the school.