Abstract
Conceptual and empirical work on youth mentoring naturally tends to focus on the relationship between mentor and child. However, the parent/guardian and agency caseworker also may contribute to the success or failure of the mentoring intervention, and program effects may be partially mediated by the child’s interactions with these individuals. This article presents a systemic model of mentoring depicting the interdependent network of relationships established between mentor, child, parent/guardian, and caseworker against the backdrop of agency policies and procedures. Numerous examples illustrate pathways of influence and patterns of communication in the context of this more holistic model of mentoring.
Editors’ Strategic Implications: Drawing upon ecological and systems theories, the author provides a promising conceptual model that focuses on patterns of interpersonal exchange among several key individuals (but not the only possible ones). This model reminds researchers and practitioners that mentoring resides within a mutually reinforcing (or inhibiting) network of other relationships. This systemic thinking has implications for child welfare agency policies and practices.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barrett, J., & Hinde, R. A. (1988). Triadic interactions: Mother–first-born–second-born. In R. A. Hinde & J. Stevenson-Hinde (Eds.), Relationships within families: Mutual influences (pp. 181–190). New York: Oxford University Press.
Bergman, L. R., Magnusson, D., & El-Khouri, B. M. (2003). Studying individual development in an interindividual context: A person-oriented approach (Vol. 4). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Bronfenbrenner, U., & Crouter, A. C. (1983). The evolution of environmental models in developmental research. In W. Kessen (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. I. History, theory, and methods (4th ed., pp. 357–414). New York: Wiley.
Cox, M. J., & Paley, B. (1997). Families as systems. Annual Review of Psychology, 48, 243–267.
Darling, N., Hamilton, S. F., & Niego, S. (1994). Adolescents’ relations with adults outside the family. In R. Montemayor, G. R. Adams, & T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Personal relationships during adolescence (Vol. 6, pp. 216–235). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Deal, J. E., Hagan, M. S., Bass, B., Hetherington, E. M., & Clingempeel, G. (1999). Marital interaction in dyadic and triadic contexts: Continuities and discontinuities. Family Process, 38(1), 105–115.
DuBois, D. L., Holloway, B. E., Valentine, J. C., & Cooper, H. (2002). Effectiveness of mentoring programs for youth: A meta-analytic review. American Journal of Community Psychology, 30(2), 157–197.
DuBois, D. L., Neville, H. A., Parra, G. R., & Pugh-Lilly, A. O. (2002). Testing a new model of mentoring. In J. E. Rhodes (Ed.), A critical view of youth mentoring (pp. 21–57). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Freedman, M. (1993). The kindness of strangers: Adult mentors, urban youth, and the new voluntarism. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Furano, K., Roaf, P. A., Styles, M. B., & Branch, A. Y. (1993). Big Brothers/Big Sisters: A study of program practices. Philadelphia: Public Private Ventures.
Gjerde, P. F. (1986). The interpersonal structure of family interaction settings: Parent–adolescent relations in dyads and triads. Developmental Psychology, 22(3), 297–304.
Grice, P. (1989). Studies in the way of words. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Grossman, J. B., & Rhodes, J. E. (2002). The test of time: Predictors and effects of duration in youth mentoring relationships. American Journal of Community Psychology, 30(2), 199–219.
Hartup, W. W., & Laursen, B. (1999). Relationships as developmental contexts: Retrospective themes and contemporary issues. In W. A. Collins & B. Laursen (Eds.), Relationships as developmental contexts (Vol. 30, pp. 13–35). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Hasenfeld, Y. (1983). Human service organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Kashy, D. A., & Kenny, D. A. (2000). The analysis of data from dyads and groups. In H. T. Reis & C. M. Judd (Eds.), Handbook of research methods in social and personality psychology (pp. 451–477). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Keller, T. E. (in press). The stages and development of mentoring relationships. In D. L. DuBois & M. Karcher (Eds.), The handbook of youth mentoring. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Kerig, P. K., & Lindahl, K. M. (Eds.). (2001). Family observational coding systems: Resources for systemic research. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Lavigueur, S., Tremblay, R. E., & Saucier, J.-F. (1995). Interactional processes in families with disruptive boys: Patterns of direct and indirect influence. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 23(3), 359–378.
LoSciuto, L., Rajala, A. K., Townsend, T. N., & Taylor, A. S. (1996). An outcome evaluation of Across Ages: An intergenerational mentoring approach to drug prevention. Journal of Adolescent Research, 11(1), 116–129.
Masten, A. S., Best, K. M., & Garmezy, N. (1990). Resilience and development: Contributions from the study of children who overcome adversity. Development and Psychopathology, 2, 425–444.
Meissen, G. J., & Lounsbury, J. W. (1981). A comparison of expectations of volunteers, children, and parents in a Big Brother Big Sister program. Journal of Community Psychology, 9, 250–256.
MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership. (2003). Elements of effective practice (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
Minuchin, P. (1985). Families and individual development: Provocations from the field of family development. Child Development, 56, 289–302.
Minuchin, S. (1974). Families and family therapy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Morrow, K. V., & Styles, M. B. (1995). Building relationships with youth in program settings. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures.
Parra, G. R., DuBois, D. L., Neville, H. A., Pugh-Lilly, A. O., & Povinelli, N. (2002). Mentoring relationships for youth: Investigation of a process-oriented model. Journal of Community Psychology, 30(4), 367–388.
Reis, H. T., Collins, W. A., & Berscheid, E. (2000). The relationship context of human behavior and development. Psychological Bulletin, 126(6), 844–872.
Rhodes, J. E. (2002). Stand by me: The risks and rewards of mentoring today’s youth. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Rhodes, J. E., Grossman, J. B., & Resch, N. L. (2000). Agents of change: Pathways through which mentoring relationships influence adolescents’ academic adjustment. Child Development, 71(6), 1662–1671.
Rutter, M. (1990). Psychosocial resilience and protective mechanisms. In J. Rolf, A. S. Masten, D. Cicchetti, K. H. Nuechterlein, & S. Weintraub (Eds.), Risk and protective factors in the development of psychopathology. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Sameroff, A. J. (1983). Developmental systems: Contexts and evolution. In W. Kessen (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. I. History, theory, and methods (4th ed., pp. 237–294). New York: Wiley.
Sandler, I. N., Miller, P., Short, J., & Wolchik, S. A. (1989). Social support as a protective factor for children in stress. In D. Belle (Ed.), Children’s social networks and social support (pp. 277–307). New York: Wiley.
Sipe, C. L. (2002). Mentoring programs for adolescents: A research summary. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31, 251–260.
Sipe, C. L., & Roder, A. E. (1999). Mentoring school-age children: A classification of programs. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures.
Sroufe, L. A., & Fleeson, J. (1986). Attachment and the construction of relationships. In W. Hartup & Z. Rubin (Eds.), Relationships and development (pp. 51–71). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Styles, M. B., & Morrow, K. V. (1992). Understanding how youth and elders form relationships: A study of four Linking Lifetimes programs. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures.
Tierney, J. P., Grossman, J. B., & Resch, J. (1995). Making a difference: An impact study of Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures.
Werner, E. E., & Smith, R. S. (1992). Overcoming the odds: High risk children from birth to adulthood. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Keller, T.E. A Systemic Model of the Youth Mentoring Intervention. J Primary Prevent 26, 169–188 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-005-1850-2
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-005-1850-2