The purpose of this study was to examine the mentor relationship in a mentor program and to investigate its effects on at-risk students in relationship to their motivation, communication, and self-concept. The mentor relationship was an essential component of the dropout prevention program. The dropout prevention program was a mentor model designed to help at-risk students improve their grades and attendance and stay in school. Subjects of the investigation were 70 ninth and tenth grade students at a central California high school. The mentor group was pre- and posttested with a Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale. The mentor group and the mentors were given the Mentor/Mentee Relationship Questionnaire Survey and the Mentor Analysis Questionnaire Survey respectively. It was hypothesized that a mentor relationship had a significant impact on grades and attendance of at-risk students and influenced higher levels of motivation, communication and self-concept. The data were analyzed using statistical procedures of means, t-test, and the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results of the study supported the development of the mentor relationship as consistent, effective, and beneficial to both mentor and mentee. There were insufficient data to support higher levels of trust and motivation among students who completed the mentor program. However, communication and self-concept scores were higher among those students (p $>$.05). Approximately 75 percent of at-risk students who participated and completed the dropout prevention program (mentor program) significantly improved their communication, self-concept, grades and attendance (p $>$.05). The quality and function of the mentor relationship contributed significantly to the effectiveness of the program.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:pacific.edu/oai:scholarlycommons.pacific.edu:uop_etds-3816 |
| Date | 01 January 1993 |
| Creators | Hill, Ronald Lee, Sr. |
| Publisher | Scholarly Commons |
| Source Sets | University of the Pacific |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations |
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