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Mentoring Relationships and the Mental Health of Aboriginal Youth in Canada

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Abstract

We compared the mentoring experiences and mental health and behavioral outcomes associated with program-supported mentoring for 125 Aboriginal (AB) and 734 non-Aboriginal (non-AB) youth ages 6–17 participating in a national survey of Big Brothers Big Sisters community mentoring relationships. Parents or guardians reported on youth mental health and other outcomes at baseline (before youth were paired to a mentor) and at 18 months follow-up. We found that AB youth were significantly less likely than non-AB youth to be in a long-term continuous mentoring relationship. However, AB youth were more likely than non-AB youth to be in a long-term relationship ending in dissolution. AB youth were also more likely than non-AB youth to have been mentored by a female adult. AB youth were significantly more likely than non-AB youth to report a high quality mentoring relationship, regular weekly contact with their mentor, and monthly mentoring activities. Structural equation model results revealed that, relative to non-mentored AB youth, AB youth with mentors experienced significantly fewer emotional problems and symptoms of social anxiety. These relationships were not found for non-AB youth. Our findings suggest that mentoring programs may be an effective intervention for improving the health and well-being of AB youth.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada and the local BBBS agencies for supporting this study. This research has been funded by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP 81115 and MOP 130435).

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  1. Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 200-100 Collip Circle, London, ON, N6G 4X8, Canada

    David J. DeWit, Samantha Wells, Tara Elton-Marshall & Julie George

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  1. David J. DeWit
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Correspondence to David J. DeWit.

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DeWit, D.J., Wells, S., Elton-Marshall, T. et al. Mentoring Relationships and the Mental Health of Aboriginal Youth in Canada. J Primary Prevent 38, 49–66 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-016-0441-8

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