The Rhodes lab engages in advancing a range of research on designed to advance a more theoretically informed and practically applicable understanding of adolescents and young adults’ relationships with mentors in programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and beyond. Within this context, they have sought to uncover the basic processes involved in mentoring relationships, and to understand how certain youth are seemingly so profoundly affected by the relationships, while others appear to benefit little or even are harmed. They are currently conducting a major meta-analysis of the field and developing strategies for improving and evaluating mentoring for children of incarcerated parents. They are also exploring factors that predict early match closure, how activities affect match satisfaction and outcome, and the role of gender, sexual identity, race, and other factors in shaping mentoring ties.
Selected Publications
Raposa, E., Eli-Yahu, A., Olsho, L., & Rhodes, J., (2018). “Birds of a Feather: Is Matching Based on Shared Interests and Characteristics Associated with Longer Youth Mentoring Relationships?” Journal of Community Psychology, 1-18, DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22127 [PDF]
Mentoring program enhancements supporting effective mentoring of children of incarcerated parents.
Stump, K. N., Kupersmidt, J. B., Stelter, R. L., & Rhodes, J. E. (2018). Mentoring program enhancements supporting effective mentoring of children of incarcerated parents. American Journal of Community Psychology, 62:163–174. [PDF]
Validating a Mentoring Relationship Quality Scale
Rhodes, J., Schwartz, S., Willis, M. M. & Wu, M. V. (2017) Validating a Mentoring Relationship Quality Scale: Does Match Strength Predict Match Length? Youth & Society, 49(4) 415-437.[PDF]
Predictors of premature match closure in youth mentoring relationships.
Kupersmidt, J., Stump, K., Stelter, R., & Rhodes, J. (2017). Predictors of premature match closure in youth mentoring relationships. American Journal of Community Psychology, 59, 25-35. [PDF]
Trends in Volunteer Mentoring in the United States: Analysis of a Decade of Census Survey Data.
Raposa, E.B., Dietz, N., & Rhodes, J.E. (2017). Trends in Volunteer Mentoring in the United States: Analysis of a Decade of Census Survey Data. American Journal of Community Psychology, 1, 1-12. [PDF]
Mentoring program practices as predictors of match longevity.
Kupersmidt, J., Stump, K., Stelter, R. & Rhodes, J. (2017). Mentoring program practices as predictors of match longevity. Journal of Community Psychology, 1, 1-16. [PDF]
Relational experiences in school-based mentoring: The mediating role of rejection sensitivity.
Kanchewa, S. Yoviene, L. A. , Schwartz, Sarah E. O.,Herrera, C. & Rhodes, J.E. (2016). Relational experiences in school-based mentoring: The mediating role of rejection sensitivity. Youth & Society, 1-22. [PDF]
The Impact of Youth Risk on Mentoring
Raposa, Elizabeth & Rhodes, Jean. (2016). The Impact of Youth Risk on Mentoring. Relationship Quality: Do Mentor Characteristics Matter? American Journal of Community Psychology, Vol 57(3-4), Jun, 2016 pp. 320-329. [PDF]
From treatment to empowerment: New approaches to youth mentoring
Schwartz, S. & Rhodes, J. (2016). From treatment to empowerment: New approaches to youth mentoring. American Journal of Community Psychology, Vol 58(1-2), Sep, 2016 pp. 150-157. [PDF]
The Influence of same versus cross-gender matching in formal youth mentoring programs.
Kanchewa, S., Rhodes, J. E., Schwartz, S. E. O., & Olsho, L. (2014). The Influence of same versus cross-gender matching in formal youth mentoring programs. Applied Developmental Science, 18, 31-45. [PDF]
