Research article summary (published 30 Mar 2002):

Natural mentors and adolescent resiliency: a study with urban youth.

Full Abstract

Natural mentors may play an important role in the lives of adolescents. We interviewed 770 adolescents from a large Midwestern city. Fifty-two percent reported having a natural mentor. Those with natural mentors were less likely to smoke marijuana or be involved in nonviolent delinquency, and had more positive attitudes toward school. Natural mentors had no apparent effect on anxiety or depression. Using the resiliency theory framework, natural mentors were found to have compensatory but not protective effects on problem behaviors, and both compensatory and protective effects on school attitudes. Direct and indirect (mediated) effects of natural mentors are explored for problem behaviors and school attitudes. The potential importance of natural mentors is supported, and implications for future research are considered.

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Author information

Author/s: Zimmerman, Marc A (MA); Bingenheimer, Jeffrey B (JB); Notaro, Paul C (PC);

Affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-2029, USA. marcz(-atsign-)umich.edu

Grants: DA07484 (Agency:NIDA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Evaluation Studies; Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: American journal of community psychology (Am J Community Psychol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Apr; vol 30 (issue 2) : pp 221-43

Dates: Created 2002/05/10; Completed 2002/09/17; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 12002244, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent Adolescent Behavior - psychology Analysis of Variance Child Female Humans Interpersonal Relations Interviews as Topic Juvenile Delinquency

Juvenile Delinquency Male Marijuana Smoking - psychology Mentors - psychology Midwestern United States Risk-Taking Social Adjustment Student Dropouts Urban Population

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