The Influence of Mentoring on the Peer Relationships of Foster Youth in Relative and Nonrelative Care

Jean E. Rhodes · Wendy Haight · Ernestine C. Briggs

92 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Research on Adolescence

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Child Welfare and Adoption Youth Development and Social Support Mentoring and Academic Development

Abstract

The influence of a mentoring program (Big Brothers-Big Sisters) on the peer relationships of foster youth in relative and nonrelative care was examined. Youth were randomly assigned to either the treatment or control condition, and changes in their peer relationships were assessed after 18 months. Foster parents were more likely than nonfoster parents to report that their child showed improved social skills, as well as greater comfort and trust interacting with others, as a result of the intervention. In addition, whereas the peer relationships of all nonfoster youth (N = 90) remained stable, treatment foster youth (N = 90) reported improvements in prosocial and self-esteem enhancing support, and control foster youth showed decrements over time. When the foster youth were differentiated further on the basis of their placement, a pattern of findings emerged in which treatment youth in relative foster care reported slight improvements in prosocial support, whereas treatment youth in nonrelative foster care reported slight declines. All foster youth in the control group reported decrements in peer support over time, with nonrelative foster youth reporting the sharpest declines. Implications for research and intervention are discussed.

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References

1989A secure base: parent-child attachment and healthy human development 1985Security in Infancy, Childhood, and Adulthood: A Move to the Level of Representation 1989Attachments beyond infancy.1988Resilient children, psychological wellness, and primary prevention 2023Developmental Psychology 1996Pathways of Older Adolescents out of Foster Care: Implications for Independent Living Services

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2010Attachment and caregiving relationships in families affected by parental incarceration 2008The Quality of Mentoring Relationships and Mentoring Success 2005The Protective Influence of Mentoring on Adolescents' Substance Use: Direct and Indirect Pathways 2008Evaluation of a School-based Mentoring Program for At-Risk Middle School Youth 2009Mentees’ Perceptions of Their Interpersonal Relationships 2010Mentoring for Young People Leaving Foster Care: Promise and Potential Pitfalls 2006Mentoring special youth populations 2000

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