Promising Practices for Improving the Match Outcomes of Young Children: An Evaluation of the School-Based Literacy-Enhanced Mentoring (LEM) Program

Autor/inn/en	Peaslee, Liliokanaio; Teye, Amanda C.; Baker, Jeron S.
Titel	Promising Practices for Improving the Match Outcomes of Young Children: An Evaluation of the School-Based Literacy-Enhanced Mentoring (LEM) Program
Quelle	In: Child & Youth Care Forum, 52 (2023) 1, S.205-227 (23 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Peaslee, Liliokanaio) ORCID (Teye, Amanda C.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1053-1890
DOI	10.1007/s10566-022-09675-z
Schlagwörter	Mentors; Program Evaluation; Program Effectiveness; Literacy Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education; Educational Indicators; Program Design; Young Children + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Programme evaluation; Programmevaluation; Primarbereich; Educational indicato; Bildungsindikator; Programme design; Programmaufbau; Programmplanung; Frühe Kindheit
Abstract	Background: Recent research suggests that instrumental relationship styles can enhance the effectiveness of school-based mentoring, however, little research has been conducted with young children. This study reports findings from a three-year evaluation of an instrumental Literacy-Enhanced Mentoring (LEM) program that integrates a structured, literacy component into a school-based mentoring program for children in kindergarten through second grade. Objective: The primary research objective was to assess the association between LEM enhancements and key match outcomes: relationship strength, match length, and early match closure, as these indicators are important moderators of a broad range of program effects. Researchers also aimed to determine whether the LEM literacy components had been implemented as designed and whether reasons for closure were different for matches in the LEM and traditional BBBS mentoring programs. Methods: This quasi-experimental study employs propensity score matching to achieve equivalent comparison groups among LEM matches (n = 64) and traditional BBBS school-based matches (n = 64). Researchers also utilize agency-collected match activity data to assess program fidelity. Results: Participation in the LEM program was not associated with mentors' reports of relationship strength or match length. Treatment was not associated with early match closure for the full LEM group, although there were reductions in early closure among subgroups of mentees with certain types of individual, family, and neighborhood risk. LEM participation was also associated with reasons for early match closure. Conclusions: Despite extant research suggesting that developmental mentoring is better suited for young children and instrumental mentoring for older children and youth, in this study, goal-directed literacy enhancements were implemented in a mentoring program without compromising relationship quality or match length. Findings are limited by the study's research design, particularly lack of random assignment and data regarding the match activities of the comparison group. Findings from this study suggest that instrumental mentoring may be a promising approach to mentoring young children. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01