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An Analysis of Natural Mentoring Relationship Profiles and Associations with Mentees’ Mental Health: Considering Links via Support from Important Others
Author(s) -
Hurd Noelle M.,
Zimmerman Marc A.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/s10464-013-9598-y
Subject(s) - closeness , health psychology , psychology , mental health , social support , clinical psychology , public health , social psychology , psychiatry , medicine , mathematical analysis , mathematics , nursing
We explored associations between natural mentoring relationship profiles and young adults’ life satisfaction and symptoms of depression via participants’ perceived support from important others accounting for participants’ perceived support and mental health prior to the onset of their natural mentoring relationships. Participants included 396 young adults (57 % female; mean age = 30.97, SD = .6), the majority of whom identified as Black or African American (79 % Black, 18 % White, 3 % Biracial). Most participants had completed high school but few participants (13 %) had completed degrees from 4 year institutions. We used a latent profile approach to identify natural mentoring relationship profiles and employed structural equation modeling to test our study hypotheses. Slightly over half of study participants (53 %) reported the presence of a natural mentor in their lives since the age of 14. Results suggest that natural mentoring relationships characterized by high levels of relational closeness and either extended relationship duration or frequent contact may promote improvements in psychological well‐being among mentees over time via greater experiences of social support from important others.