Mentoring Youth with Mental Health Needs: Parents' Perceptions of the Journey (WITHDRAWN)

Background and Purpose

Historically, youth mentoring research has focused almost exclusively on factors within the mentor-youth relationship that affect positive outcomes for youth labelled as “at-risk.”   Recently, research and program practices have developed new interest in the roles and perspectives of parents in the mentoring process. This interest arises at an important time in mentoring research, influenced in part by Keller’s (2005) systemic model of mentoring based on family systems theory. Because many youth with agency-supported mentors also have mental health needs, this study explored the views and experiences of parents of youth with mental health needs who were in lengthy mentoring relationships of at least two years in duration. 

Methods

Study participants were parents of youth with mental health needs who received agency-supported dyadic mentoring through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of youth who were in mentoring relationships for at least two year in duration. Using a life history, interpretive approach, parents were asked about their initial hopes and wishes at the start of mentoring, the occurrence of any surprises, moments when they felt their child was growing and changing, and views about the future for their child.  Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then subjected to thematic analysis.

Results

Thematic analysis produced four themes: (a) initial hopes for mentoring; (b) initial fears about mentoring; (c) development of trust in the mentor; and (d) changes in the mentored youth.   Parents shared a variety of hopes and wishes initially for mentoring, which focused primarily around social and emotional needs in relation to their children’s mental health challenges. Several parents shared about fears and worries at the beginning in engaging with a new service agency as a result of negative experiences primarily due to child welfare involvement.  The development of trust in the mentor was key for the parents to allow the mentoring relationship to continue.  Parents felt hope in thinking about their children’s future into adulthood as a result of growth and increased self-identity they saw in their children. 

 Discussion

 Findings suggest the benefit of mentoring agency practices that solicit and incorporate parents’ voice, goals and expectations for mentoring. Parents who have felt judged or stigmatized by previous service providers may engage more fully with staff and mentors who appreciate the implications of those experiences. Parents who experience family stress may be vulnerable to being misunderstood by mentors or agency staff. Therefore, attention to this dynamic at the beginning of engagement may ward off parent-mentor alliance difficulties. The incorporation of parents’ perspective in mentoring research may increase the utility of Keller’s systemic model on both micro and macro levels of intervention.