Exposure to race-related stressors such as discrimination may take a toll on Black undergraduates attending predominantly White institutions (PWIs) who must contend with these in addition common the developmental space of emerging adulthood and transition college. The aim this study was explore students’ experiences stressors, coping responses, role natural mentors (i.e., nonparental adults from preexisting social networks serve mentoring lives) process. We conducted semi-structured...

This theory‐building qualitative study examined how youth develop responsibility within the context of organized programs. Interviews were conducted with ethnically diverse youth, parents, and adult leaders from four programs for high school–aged teens. Analysis suggested that through a four‐step cycle: (1) voluntarily taking on roles obligations, (2) experiencing challenge strain, (3) being motivated to fulfill their (4) internalizing self‐concept leads responsible behavior in other...

Youth's trust in program leaders is considered a key to the positive impact of youth programs. We sought understand how influences youth's experiences from their perspective. interviewed 108 ethnically diverse (ages 12–19) participating 13 arts, leadership, and technology Analysis these accounts suggested five ways which amplified benefits. Trust increased (1) confidence leaders' guidance activities, (2) motivation program, (3) use for mentoring, (4) as model well‐functioning relationship,...

This study explores the perceptions of FFA members from two urban chapters in a midwestern state who worked together on Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project. YPAR is participatory-based research method which youth are partners and leaders research, developing implementing research. The project was completed virtually using Zoom, as were too far away for in-person collaboration, only meeting once over course semester case includes interviews with participants explaining how...

Rarely are youth voices incorporated into program and policy development. Youth participatory action research (YPAR) is an opportunity for adolescents to develop skills by completing projects relevant their lives allows participation decision-making at systems organizational levels. Attention YPAR implementation detail, especially a curricular focus, lacking in the literature. Specifically absent all-encompassing framework, gap current study addresses. The includes review of existing...

Two topics commonly referenced within theories of Positive Youth Development (PYD) are supportive relationships with adults and the youth program context. This paper examines trajectory youth’s trusting at projectbased programs. High-school-age 7 arts, leadership, technology programs retrospectively constructed graphical representations their trust in a leader across time. When coupled interview data, analysis 48 graphs that provide window into arc nonfamilial through words making meaning...

Youth mentoring as a field of study has grown immensely in recent years, with hundreds peer-reviewed research articles on the subject. A key driver this interest is demonstrated ability youth to support positive mental health for minoritized youth. Three central theoretical models, published nearly twenty years ago, drive majority body research: systemic model, relational and mechanisms model. The present paper examines these models through conversation their authors presents reflections...

Building on previous work examining the three central theoretical models driving youth mentoring literature, present paper presents an updated conceptual framework how can equitably support health outcomes for young people, particularly minoritized or otherwise marginalized youth. Youth has been demonstrated to positive (e.g., mental health, well-being) all and a growing literature base match enthusiasm in findings. The core models, however, had not nearly 20 years. This starts with guiding...

During adolescence, Black girls face the developmental task of achieving a positive identity while developing skills to navigate hostile contexts, including schools. This study brings together quotes on student-staff interactions extracted during qualitative meta-synthesis ( n = 64 quotes) discuss how adolescent interpreted being treated differently by staff. described differential treatment occurring because one’s (a) race such as students less humanely and punished more severely; (b)...

The current study examined characteristics of natural mentoring relationships (NMRs; i.e. that develop organically with adults in one's pre-existing social network) among underrepresented college students as contributors to NMR retention across the first year college. sample consisted 209 (73% female; mean age = 18.1, SD .35) who reported having a mentor during semester Each participant could report up five mentors and total 550 NMRs were reported. We found more frequent contact greater...

The leaders of youth programs encounter a range challenging situations that involve youth’s parents or families. This qualitative study obtained data on the variety and nature these family-related “dilemmas practice.” Longitudinal interviews with 10 high quality for high-school-aged yielded narrative information sample 32 family dilemmas they had encountered. Grounded theory analysis identified four categories dilemmas: 1) problems at home become concern to leader, 2) parents’ expectations...

Adolescents' supportive relationships with nonparental adults are beneficial when they close and have trust, but few studies explore how adolescents believe closeness trust unfold over time. I propose a method for prompting to retrospectively describe the development of abstract components such by sharing study that used interviewee-created graphing prompt move from concrete parts relationship concepts using tool would be familiar math classes. Analyses Venn diagrams matrices suggested...

Understanding the role of cultural fit and responsiveness in youth-adult relationships is crucial for positive youth development within after-school programs. This study explored (a) youth’s conceptualization similarities/differences with adult program leaders, (b) how processes culturally similar/different influence formation relationships. Guided by constructivist grounded theory, semi-structured interviews 50 (ages 12–19 years; 64% girls; racially/ethnically diverse adolescents) across 13...

Group mentoring programs offer multiple routes for influencing development, through both one-on-one relationships and relational processes in the group context. Less explored is how context impacts relationships. This study investigated influences development of mentor–mentee relationship a program serving early adolescent girls. Qualitative analyses interviews with mentees mentors indicated: (a) regularly scheduled meetings provided stability to dyads; (b) integration curriculum time set...