The aim of this study is to examine whether and how the provision of a cultural humility and social justice training and support program to volunteer mentors can change their interactions with youth, improve the effectiveness of programs and foster positive outcomes for low-income youth of color. Mentor-youth dyads (N=240) will be randomly assigned either to an intervention that includes cultural humility and social justice training and enhanced support or to a control group. Survey and interview data will be collected from a variety of sources, including mentors, youth, parents and case managers. Case records about mentor-youth dyads will also be collected.
The aim of this study is to examine whether and how the provision of a cultural humility and social justice training and support program to volunteer mentors can change their interactions with youth, improve the effectiveness of programs and foster positive outcomes for low-income youth of color. The study's specific aims are to investigate: 1. The impact of a cultural humility and social justice training and supports for BBBS mentors of youth of color on: 1. mentor's cultural humility and social justice knowledge, attitudes and approach to their mentoring relationships, 2. the quality of the mentor-youth relationships, and 3. youth's developmental outcomes 2. The processes through which the intervention achieves the above effects. The study is being conducted in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) and participants will be recruited from 7 BBBSA affiliates located in different regions of the U.S. Participants will include 240 mentor-youth dyads and their case managers and youth's parents. Youth will be low-income, youth of color between the ages of 9 and 17 years. Mentor-youth dyads will be randomly assigned either to an intervention that includes cultural humility and social justice trainings and enhanced support or to a control group (business as usual). Mentors will complete survey measures at baseline, 4 months and 12 months. Youth and case managers will complete survey measures at baseline and 12 months, while parents complete a baseline survey. Program case records will be examined as well. A subset of mentor-youth dyads (n=24) and their case managers and parents will participate in a qualitative longitudinal study. The qualitative methods will include two individual interviews of youth and mentors, a virtual dyadic interview of the mentoring dyad, interviews with parents and case managers as well as recorded supervisory contacts with mentors.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Mentors assigned to the intervention will receive the following trainings and support: 1. Online Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) trainings (self-paced) 2. Culturally Smart Relationships Training (live, virtual) 3. JEDI enhanced monthly supervision from case managers 4. Monthly emails with activity suggestions for mentors and youth
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Cultural Humility
Mentor report - Empathic Feeling and Expression Subscale from Ethnocultural Empathy Scale (Wang et al., 2003) - 15 items - mean scores range from 1 to 6; 2 reversed scores items; higher scores reflect higher empathic feeling and expression
Time frame: 4 months
Self-efficacy beliefs for providing ethnic/racial support
Mentor report - 6-item scale (Anderson et al., 2018) - mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher self-efficacy
Time frame: 12 months
Self-efficacy beliefs for engaging in conversations about racial injustice
Mentor report - 4-item scale created for this study (Sánchez et al., 2021) - mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher self-efficacy
Time frame: 12 months
Perceived Knowledge
Mentor report - Adapted measure of Multicultural awareness, knowledge and skills scale (D'Andrea et al., 2003) - 13 items. Items were added and adapted to reflect the current intervention. Mean scores range from 1 to 4. Higher scores reflect higher perceived knowledge.
Time frame: 4 months
Colorblind racial attitudes
Mentor report - Unawareness of Racial Privilege subscale of the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS; Neville et al., 2000) - 7 items - Mean scores range from 1 to 6; 6 items are reverse scored; higher scores reflect more unawareness of racial privilege
Time frame: 4 months
Mentor support for ethnic/racial identity
Youth reported scale (Sanchez et al., 2018) - adapted for the current study and added 5 items for a total of 11 items - 1 reversed scored item; Mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate more support from mentors on youth's ethnic/racial identity.
Time frame: 12 months
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Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
813
Mentor support for coping with discrimination
Youth-reported 8-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021); 3 reversed scored items; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate more support from mentors on youth's coping with discrimination.
Time frame: 12 months
Youth-centered relationships
Youth reported - Youth Centered Relationships Subscale of Youth Survey - 5 items. Youth-reported scale; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate a more youth-centric mentoring relationship.
Time frame: 12 months
Activities and discussions on race and social justice issues - Mentor
Mentor reported - 11-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021). Mean scores range from 0 to 3; Higher scores indicate more frequent engagement in activities and discussions about race and social justice.
Time frame: 12 months
Activities and discussions on race and social justice issues - Youth
Youth reported - 11-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021). Mean scores range from 0 to 3; higher scores indicate more frequent engagement in activities and discussions about race and social justice.
Time frame: 12 months
Activities/discussions on racial/ethnic socialization
mentor reported - 6-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021). Mean scores range between 0 and 3. Higher scores reflect more frequent racial/ethnic socialization activities and discussions.
Time frame: 12 months
Mentor Attunement Scale
Mentor reported scale - 7 item scale(Pryce \& Deane, 2019). Mean scores range between 1 and 6. Higher scores reflect higher mentor attunement.
Time frame: 12 months
Mentor Attunement Scale - Youth Version
Youth reported scale - MAS-Y; Pryce \& Deane, 2019; 15 items. Mean scores range from 1 to 6; higher scores indicate higher mentor attunement.
Time frame: 12 months
Cultural clashes
Mentor Reported Challenges Scale - 3 items (Herrera et al., 2014); mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores reflect more cultural clashes in the relationship.
Time frame: 12 months
Openness to adult support
Youth reported - Interpersonal Trust Scale (DuBois, 2006) - 5 items. modified some items and response scale for this study; 1 reversed scored item; mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores reflect more trust towards adults.
Time frame: 12 months
Community connectedness
Youth reported measure; Whitlock, 2007; 5 items; modified the response scale for this study; 1 reversed scored item; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher community connectedness.
Time frame: 12 months
Mattering
Youth reported measure; Sense of Mattering Scale (Rosenberg, 1981) - 5 items - modified items and response scale for this study; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher perceptions that youth matters to adults outside their family.
Time frame: 12 months
Ethnic/racial identity (MIBI - T) - Private Regard
youth reported - Private Regard Subscale of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity- Teen (MIBI-T) - 3 items (Scottham, Sellers, \& Nguyen, 2008; Rivas-Drake, Hughes, \& Way, 2009); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect more positive perceptions about one's ethnic/racial group.
Time frame: 12 months
Ethnic/racial identity (MIBI - T) - Public Regard
youth reported - o Public Regard Subscale of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity- Teen (MIBI-T) - 3 items (Scottham, Sellers, \& Nguyen, 2008; Rivas-Drake, Hughes, \& Way, 2009); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect more positive societal perceptions about one's ethnic/racial group.
Time frame: 12 months
Ethnic identity (exploration)
youth reported - Ethnic Identity Scale - exploration subscale Brief - 2 items (Douglass \& Umaña-Taylor, 2015); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher engagement in activities that explore one's ethnic/racial group
Time frame: 12 months
Ethnic identity (affirmation)
youth reported - affirmation subscale brief - 3 items (Douglass \& Umaña-Taylor, 2015); all items are reversed scored; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate higher affirmation about one's ethnic/racial group
Time frame: 12 months
Coping efficacy with discrimination
youth reported - 3 items adapted for this study (Sandler et al., 2000; Sanchez et al., 2017); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate higher efficacy in coping with racial discrimination.
Time frame: 12 months
Cultural Mistrust
Youth reported - Cultural Mistrust Inventory for Adolescents (Terrell \& Terrell, 1981) - cultural mistrust in interpersonal relationships subscale modified by Sanchez \& DuBois (2006) - 11 items; 5 reversed scored items; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate more cultural mistrust towards White people
Time frame: 12 months
Bias Awareness
Mentor reported - Bias Awareness Scale (Perry et al., 2015) - 4 items - response scale was adapted; one item is reversed scored; mean scores range from 1 to 6; higher scores indicate higher awareness of bias.
Time frame: 4 months
Social Justice interest
Mentor reported - Social Justice Interest subscale of the Social Issues Questionnaire (Miller et al., 2009) - 6 items - adapted for the current study to assess mentor's interest in engaging in social justice activities with their mentee; mean scores range from 1 to 9; higher scores indicate higher interest in engaging in social justice activities with mentees.
Time frame: 4 months
Authentic self
Youth reported scale - Level of Adolescent Voice Scale (Harter, 2000) - with 13 items (3 were added by current investigators); 8 reversed scored items; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate that youth are able to be their authentic self around the mentors.
Time frame: 12 months
Emotional Closeness - Mentor
Mentor reported scale - Match Characteristics Questionnaire - Closeness subscale - 5 items (Harris \& Nakkula (2004). Mean scores range between 1 and 6; higher scores reflect closer mentoring relationships.
Time frame: 12 months
Emotional Closeness - Youth
youth reported scale - Relational Satisfaction Subscale (Harris \& Nakkula, 2004) - 6 items; mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores reflect closer mentoring relationships.
Time frame: 12 months
Relationship satisfaction - mentor
Satisfaction Subscale of the Investment Model Scale - 5 items (Rusbult et al., 1997; see Drew et al., 2020); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate greater perceived mentee support-seeking behaviors.
Time frame: 12 months
Relationship satisfaction - youth
Youth Report of Measure of Growth/Goal Focus in Youth Mentoring Relationships (DuBois, 2008) - 6 items; mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores reflect more growth/goal focus in mentoring relationship
Time frame: 12 months
Mentor advocacy
mentor reported - Mentoring Processes Scale (MPS) - 6 items (Tolan et al., 2020); 1 reversed scored item; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate higher mentor advocacy for mentees.
Time frame: 12 months
Support seeking
mentor reported - Mentee Support Seeking Scale - 4 items (Karcher et al., 2005); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate more mentee support-seeking behaviors perceived by mentors.
Time frame: 12 months
Mentoring activities
Mentor reported - Adapted Activity Log - 4 items (Karcher et al., 2010); mean scores range from 1 to 5; higher scores reflect more frequent mentoring activities.
Time frame: 12 months
Match duration
Duration of mentor-youth relationships gathered from case records; duration is reported in number of months.
Time frame: 12 months
Academic performance
Youth self-reported grades for 4 subjects: math, reading, social studies and science. A through F scale
Time frame: 12 months
Risky behaviors
Youth - behaviors that youth has gotten in trouble for in the last 3 months: substance use (4 items - adapted from Clasen, Brown, \& Eicher (1986), status offenses (3 items - created for this survey), school discipline (4 items - adapted from Vandell et al. (2013)); o In the past 3 months, I got in trouble or could have gotten in trouble for… Responses are a 3-point scale: 0 times, 1 or 2 times, 3 or more times (0 to 2 scale). Higher mean scores reflect more risky behaviors. o In the past 3 months, I got in trouble or could have gotten in trouble for…Responses are a 3-point scale: 0 times, 1 or 2 times, 3 or more times.
Time frame: 12 months
Bullying
Youth reported - In the past month, I got in trouble for or could have gotten in trouble for…adapted from Bosworth, Espelage, \& Simon (1999) and Dahlberg, Toal, \& Behrens (1998). 5 items - Responses are on 3 point scale (0 times, 1 or 2 times, 3 or more times; 0 to 2 scale); higher mean scores reflect more risky behaviors Responses are on 3 point scale (0 times, 1 or 2 times, 3 or more times)
Time frame: 12 months
Police & Juvenile Justice Contact
Youth reported - "In the past 3 months, I:" Responses are on a 2-point scale (Yes = 1, No = 0); Higher sum score reflect more police and juvenile justice contact. 3 items
Time frame: 12 months
Emotional regulation
Youth reported - Adapted from the Middle School Youth Survey, originally from Prior et al. (2000); Responses are on a 4-point scale (Not at all true, A little true, Mostly true, Totally true); Mean responses range from 1 to 4 with higher scores reflecting higher emotional regulation. 4 items
Time frame: 12 months
Depressive symptoms
Youth reported - Taken from the Health Measures' PROMIS Pediatric Depressive Symptoms instrument (2013). Responses are on a 5-point scale (Never, Almost Never, Sometimes, Often, Almost Always); 2 reversed scored items; Mean responses range from 1 to 5 with higher scores reflecting more depressive symptoms 10 items
Time frame: 12 months
Loneliness
youth reported - Loneliness Questionnaire-Short Version (Ebesutani et al., 2012) - 9 items; modified the response scale; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores mean higher loneliness.
Time frame: 12 months
Hopeful future expectations
Youth reported - Abbreviated Version of the Hopeful Future Expectations (HFE) Scale (Callina et al., 2016) - adapted - 8 items; 1 reversed scored item; mean scores range between 1 and 5; higher scores mean more hopeful future.
Time frame: 12 months
Critical reflection
Youth reported - Critical Reflection Subscale; Diemer et al., 2020) - 3 items; modified the response scale and excluded a survey item for this study; mean scores range between 1 to 4; higher scores mean higher level of critical analysis of socioeconomic and racial/ethnic inequalities.
Time frame: 12 months
System Justification Scale
Youth reported - (Kay \& Jost, 2003) - 10 items - adapted the response scale for this study; mean scores range between 1 to 4; higher scores mean stronger beliefs that the world is a fair and just place.
Time frame: 12 months
Adolescent Critical Consciousness
Youth reported - Critical Agency Subscale; Critical Behavior Subscale; McWhirter \& McWhirter, 2016) - 10 items; modified response scale for this study; mean score range between 1 to 4; higher scores mean higher critical agency and behavior.
Time frame: 12 months
Growth mindset
Youth reported - Revised Implicit Theories of Intelligence (Self-Theory; DaCastella \& Byrne, 2015) Scale - 8 items; adapted the response scale for this study; mean scores range between 1 to 4; higher scores mean higher academic growth mindset
Time frame: 12 months
Academic self efficacy
Youth reported - Academic Self-Efficacy Subscale-Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scale (Midgley et al., 2000) - 5 items; mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores mean higher academic self-efficacy.
Time frame: 12 months