Mentoring for Female Academics: One Year Outcomes
Author Information
Author(s): Rina Dutta, Sarah L. Hawkes, Elizabeth Kuipers, David Guest, Nicola T. Fear, Amy C. Iversen
Primary Institution: King's College London
Hypothesis
What are the mechanisms by which mentoring may support professional development in under-represented groups?
Conclusion
Mentoring can improve job-related well-being, self-esteem, and self-efficacy for female academics over one year, although mentees' expectations were often unrealistically high.
Supporting Evidence
- Self-esteem increased significantly at 6 months and 1 year.
- Self-efficacy improved significantly at both follow-up points.
- Job-related well-being improved, with reduced work-family conflict at 1 year.
- Mentees' expectations were often higher than their perceived achievements.
Takeaway
This study shows that having a mentor can help women in academia feel better about their jobs and themselves, but sometimes they expect too much from the experience.
Methodology
Female academic mentees were matched with senior mentors and completed online surveys at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year to assess various health-related and attitudinal measures.
Potential Biases
Self-selection of participants may have skewed results towards more favorable outcomes.
Limitations
The study was uncontrolled, had a small sample size, and lacked demographic data to ensure confidentiality.
Participant Demographics
Mentees ranged from research assistants to senior lecturers, with 42% of staff being female academics.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.004 for anxiety-contentment, p < 0.001 for self-esteem, p = 0.001 for self-efficacy, p = 0.04 for work-family conflict.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website