Natural mentor relationships among latina adolescent mothers: Psychological adjustment, moderating processes, and the role of early parental acceptance

Abstract

Investigated the antecedents, effects, and underlying characteristics of natural mentor relationships in a sample of 54 inner-city, Latina adolescent mothers. Women with mentors reported significantly lower levels of depression and anxiety than those without mentors despite similar levels of stress exposure and overall support resources. Young women with natural mentors were also more satisfied with their support resources and appeared better able to cope effectively with relationship problems. Finally, women with mentors recalled their childhood relationships with their mothers as more accepting. Mentor relationships appear to enhance young women's capacity to benefit from their support resources and offset the effects of relationship problems. Implications for future research and intervention strategies are discussed.

Suicidal Behavior in Latinas: Explanatory Cultural Factors and Implications for Intervention

“…Razin et al (1991) and Zayas et al (2005) propose that immigrant parents' inability to effectively mentor their daughters to negotiate the combined effects of adolescent development and acculturative stress-due in large part to the fact that the parents did not experience these challenges and therefore do not have the knowledge to impart-reduces their capacity to provide reliable support, inspiration, care, and influence toward adaptive choices (Rhodes, Contreras, & Mangelsdorf, 1994). The feelings, activities, and thoughts that are exchanged bidirectionally between parents and daughters, that have been defined as "mutuality" by Genero, Miller, Surrey, and Baldwin (1992), may thus be compromised by the tension stemming from development and acculturation.…”

Informal mentoring and young adult employment

“…These non-parental adults have received a number of labels, such as natural mentors, very important people (VIPs), role models, and significant others (Bö, 1989;Bryant and Zimmerman, 2003;Greenberger, Chen, and Beam, 1998;Rhodes, Ebert, and Fischer, 1992), but all are adults that adolescents perceive to be influential. Regardless of the moniker, informal mentoring generally provides benefits that resemble those of formal mentoring programs, decreasing problem behaviors and improving psychological well-being, academic performance, and relationships with others (Bryant and Zimmerman, 2003;Greenberger, Chen, and Beam, 1998;Klaw, Rhodes, and Fitzgerald, 2003;Rhodes, Contreras, and Mangelsdorf, 1994;Rhodes, Ebert, and Fischer, 1992;Zimmerman, Bingenheimer, and Notaro, 2002).…”

“…Those who identify important non-parental adults in their lives tend to report better psychological well-being, more rewarding relationships with others, academic success, and fewer problem behaviors than their peers (Bryant and Zimmerman, 2003;Greenberger, Chen, and Beam, 1998;Klaw, Rhodes, and Fitzgerald, 2003;Rhodes, Contreras, and Mangelsdorf, 1994;Rhodes, Ebert, and Fischer, 1992;Zimmerman, Bingenheimer, and Notaro, 2002).…”

Perception de l'importance des personnes significatives chez des adolescents québécois issus ou non de l'immigration selon la durée de vie dans le milieu culturel d'accueil et le genre /

“…Selon Rajiva (2005) Deux éléments pourraient expliquer la divergence entre les résultats obtenus et les données recensées dans les écrits scientifiques. Sans égard à la récence de l'immigration, de nombreux auteurs stipulent que les relations amicales facilitent grandement l'intégration du jeune (Dondero, 1997;Blechman, 1992;Hamilton & Darling, 1996;Mech & al., 1995;Rhodes & al., 1994;Rhodes & al., 1992 Une autre force se situe au niveau de l'utilisation du PEP qui a permis d'obtenir des résultats inédits portant sur l'importance qu'accordent des adolescents québécois issus de l'immigration aux personnes significatives de leur réseau social. Cependant, dans la présente étude, l'origine culturelle des pairs n'a également pas été prise en compte puisque l'objectif principal ne concernait pas spécifiquement cet aspect, ce qui représente une limite.…”

“…Quant aux amis de même genre et de genre opposé, dans les cultures non occidentales, ils occupent, eux aussi, une place importante (Claes, 1998). En ce qui concerne les adultes de confiance autres que les parents, plusieurs chercheurs soutiennent qu'ils jouent un rôle vital dans le développement des adolescents en général (Blechman, 1992;Dondero, 1997;Hamilton & Darling, 1996;Mech, Pryde, & Rycraft, 1995;Rhodes, Contreras & Mangelsdorf, 1994;Rhodes, Ebert & Fischer, 1992). Selon Rishel, Sales et Koeske (2005), la relation entre les adolescents immigrants et les adultes de confiance autre que les parents peut constituer un facteur de protection dans la vie du jeune.…”