JULIE L' BERGERON, PH' D'

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The Effect of Mentoring on Social Behavior
Self-Esteem

• JULIE L. BERGERON, PH. D.
• REBECCA NOLAN, PH.D.
• YONG DAI, PH.D.
• LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY SHREVEPORT

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Will a school-based mentoring program positively
affect the behavior and self-esteem of students?
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Theoretical Basis
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Resilience Theory

• Broussard, Mosley-Howard Roychoudhury, 2006
• Kenny, Gallagher, Alvarez-Salvat, Silsby, 2002
• Masten Coatsworth, 1998
• Stein, Fonagy, Ferguson, Wisman, 2000

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Social Support Framework

• Kashani, Reid, Rosenberg , 1989
• Keating, Tomishima, Foster, Alessandri , 2002

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Academic Achievement/Attendance

• Tierney Grossman, 2000
• Jekielek, Moore, Hair, 2002

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Benefits of School-Based Programs

• Access to students
• More likely to obtain volunteers
• Parent/teacher referral
• More cost-effective
• National Mentor Center (2002)

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Best Practice in Mentoring

• Monitor implementation
• Careful selection of mentors
• Mentor training
• Supervision
• Structured activities
• Established frequency/duration of visits
• -DuBois, Holloway, Valentine, and Cooper (2002)

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The Question

• Will a school-based mentoring program have a
  positive effect on Social Behavior and
  Self-Esteem?

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Participants

• 28 students from at-risk neighborhood
• 16 female 12 male
• 1 Caucasian 26 Black 1 Asian
• 28 mentors matched 1 1 with students
• 23 female 5 male
• 17 Caucasian 11 Black

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Materials/Measures

• Curriculum adapted from Josephson Institute of
  Ethics, Character Counts
• Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory
• School Social Behavior Scales

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Procedure

• Orientation/Training
• Systematic Procedures Followed
• 12 visits/6 month period
• Journal reflections from mentors
• Pre/post testing
• Record keeping

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Results (Quantitative)

• Increase on school self-esteem as evidenced by
  Coopersmith Inventory
• Pretest mean 4.47 (SD 1.70)
• Posttest mean 5.59 (SD 1.50)
• No significant differences between pretest and
  posttest measures on SSBS

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Explanation????

• High scores on pretest
• Different climate of school
• Several programs already in place

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Results (Qualitative)

• Shamarin really lit up when I walked into her
  classroom. I can tell there is a connection
  between the thought process of who I am and that
  I am here to spend time with her and have her
  feel special.

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Future Research

• Longer length of study (more visits)
• Extend study with same students into future years
  to measure long-term effects
• Increase measures

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Implications

• School-based mentoring can foster positive
  attitudes in students.
• School-based mentoring can have a positive impact
  on both mentee and mentor.
• School-based programs where businesses allow
  employees release time of one hour per week could
  forge a positive relationship between the
  community and the school and positively impact
  the lives of students.