The Effects of a Mentoring Program on the Behavior Rating of Children

Abstract

Many researchers have concluded that mentoring relationships are beneficial to children; however, research results are generally based on information collected from school officials and parents. While both sources are often accurate, the perspective of the child has seldom been considered in determining the effectiveness of mentoring. Since the child is the one being served, it is most logical to take his/her thoughts and beliefs into account. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if mentoring influences mentee behavior, as measured by the Behavior Rating Index for Children (BRIC). The BRIC scores reported by the child and parent were tested to determine if their perspectives of child behavior were congruent. Data were collected during an after-school mentoring program using trained undergraduate students as mentors. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests to evaluate the change in BRIC scores and congruence between child and parent scores.