Balancing Skills and Challenges: Exploring the Concept of Relational Engagement in Combined Group and One-On-One Mentoring for Adolescent Girls

Critical Evaluation:

This scholarly article was published by two University of Virginia professors and a career development specialist in 2014. With the combination of their areas of expertise, the authors concluded via their study and research that mentoring groups consisting of young girls can be beneficial to individual skills as well as individual challenge perception. The four relational processes, Giving advice or helping, asking questions and reaching out, sharing and opening up, and spending time and being there, each suggested valuable support for young girls' development of relational engagement amongst one another and mentors. While this specific resource focuses on individuals in a group mentorship environment, it may suggest or encourage an individual entrepreneur to look for a group educational setting as opposed to a one-on-one mentor. The basic findings of requiring trust, and connection are still foundational in all research relevant to mentorship, growth, and success.

Markowitz, E. S., Deutsch, N. L., & Lawrence, E. C. (2014). Balancing Skills and Challenges: Exploring the Concept of Relational Engagement in Combined Group and One-On-One Mentoring for Adolescent Girls. Teachers College Record, 116(13), 146–165. https://doi-org.cyrano.ucmo.edu/10.1177/016146811411601318