The Role of Mentors in Promoting Skills, Readiness, and Satisfaction for Undergraduate Social Work Students

Background and Purpose:

Mentors help increase academic performance and retention for college students. However, it is unclear whether mentors influence students’ skill development, readiness for post-graduate life, or satisfaction with their academic program. These questions are particularly important for social work (SW) students, who must demonstrate competence in professional skills in addition to completing the core academic curriculum. To address these questions, the current study tested the relationship between the presence of mentors in students’ lives (within and outside of the SW program) and student perceptions of competence and readiness for SW practice and satisfaction in their SW programs. In addition, the presence of mentors was tested as a predictor for the development of 10 core competencies included in the CSWE Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). It was hypothesized that having an in-program mentor would significantly predict all outcomes, while having a mentor outside of the program would significantly predict satisfaction but not readiness or skills.

Method:

Following IRB approval, a link for a 112-item online survey was sent to faculty of all 502 accredited undergraduate SW programs in the US. Program directors, practicum directors, and other faculty were asked to send the link to current students who had completed practicum hours. The invitation yielded 593 respondents, 455 of whom completed the entire survey. Data were exported to SPSS for analysis.

Data Analysis:

Bivariate correlations were conducted with the two mentoring variables and six outcome variables, including self-ratings of competence, readiness for career and graduate school, and satisfaction with the SW program and practicum. Multiple regression analyses tested the mentoring variables as predictors of competence, readiness, and program satisfaction, controlling for demographic variables. Additional linear regression models tested the presence of mentors as predictors of competence in the 10 CSWE competency categories.

Results:

Both mentoring variables (having a mentor in and outside the program) were significantly correlated with five of six outcome variables. Regression analyses indicated that the presence of a mentor within the SW program significantly predicted competence in SW practice (t=3.34, p<.001), preparedness for a SW career (t=2.92, p<.01), as well as satisfaction in the SW program (t=4.35, p<.001) and in the practicum placement (t=3.62, p<.001), while the presence of a mentor outside of the program was not a significant predictor of any outcomes. With regard to competencies, having a mentor in the program was a significant predictor of competence in three skills: identifying as a social worker (t=2.45, p<.05), applying ethical principles (t=2.61, p<.01), applying critical thinking (t=2.57, p<.05). Having a mentor outside the program significantly predicted two skills: advocating for human rights (t=2.42, p<.05), applying principles of HBSE (t=2.07, p<.05).

Implications:

Results suggest that mentors play an important role in the educational lives of undergraduate SW students, including skill development and competence, preparedness for employment, and satisfaction with their programs and practicum placements. SW programs should encourage faculty and field supervisors to create developmental relationships with students, and should help students identify mentors both in and outside of their SW programs.