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Assessment of the Efficacy of a Peer Mentoring Program in a University Setting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Miguel A. Alonso ,
Gloria Castaño ,
Ana M. Calles  and
Silvia Sánchez-Herrero
Miguel A. Alonso*
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
Gloria Castaño
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
Ana M. Calles
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
Silvia Sánchez-Herrero
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Miguel Aurelio Alonso García. Departamento de Psicología Diferencial y del Trabajo. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas. 28223 Madrid. (Spain). E-mail: m.alonso@psi.ucm.es
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Abstract

In the present study, the efficacy of a formal mentoring program applied to fourth and fifth year students of the Psychology Faculty of the Complutense University is assessed. In this program, fifth-year students took on the role of mentors and fourth-year students, the role of mentees. To assess the efficacy, the group of mentors was compared with a group of non-mentors and the group of mentees with a group of non-mentees, before and after the program, taking into account the variables related to career development function (knowledge acquired of the academic setting and satisfaction with the career of Psychology) and the psychosocial function (self-concept, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and involvement).

The results show a statistically significant increase in the knowledge acquired about the academic setting as a consequence of the program, both in the group of mentors and in the group of mentees. Moreover, the mentors achieved a better average grade in the subjects of the specialty of Work Psychology. There were no statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in satisfaction with the career of Psychology, or in self-concept, self-esteem, or self-efficacy.

En el presente estudio se evalúa la eficacia de un programa de mentoring formal implantado en la Facultad de Psicología de la Universidad Complutense en alumnos de segundo ciclo. En dicho programa los alumnos de quinto curso asumían el rol de mentores y los de cuarto curso el rol de telémacos. Para evaluar la eficacia se contrasta el grupo de mentores con el grupo de no mentores y el grupo de telémacos con el grupo de no telémacos, antes y después del programa, atendiendo a variables relacionadas con la función de desarrollo de carrera (conocimientos adquiridos sobre el entorno académico, y satisfacción con la carrera de Psicología) y con la función psicosocial (autoconcepto, autoestima, autoeficacia e implicación).

Los resultados encontrados muestran un incremento estadísticamente significativo en los conocimientos adquiridos respecto al entorno académico como consecuencia del programa, tanto para el grupo de mentores como para el grupo de telémacos. Además, los mentores consiguen un mejor promedio en las calificaciones de las asignaturas de la especialidad de Psicología del Trabajo. No aparecen diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre el grupo experimental y el grupo control ni en la satisfacción con la carrera de Psicología, ni en el autoconcepto, la autoestima y la autoeficacia.

Keywords

mentoringcareer developmentorientationprogram assessmentmentoringdesarrollo de carreraorientaciónevaluación de programas
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , November 2010 , pp. 685 - 696
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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