Table Of ContentLouisiana State University
LSU Digital Commons
LSU Master's Teses Graduate School
2007
Mentoring youth with disabilities: the mentor's
lived experiences
Kimberly Lynn Seeger
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College,
MENTORING YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES:
THE MENTOR’S LIVED EXPERIENCES
Thesis
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the
Louisiana State University and
Agricultural and Mechanical College
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
Master of Science
in
The School of Human Resource Education and Workforce Development
By
Kimberly Lynn Seeger
B.S. Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1984
May, 2007
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The demands of pursuing a graduate degree while balancing personal and professional
responsibilities could not have been met without the support of many individuals. I would like to
extend my sincere appreciation to several individuals for their encouragement, tolerance and
wisdom.
Thesis Committee
It was an anomaly to choose the thesis option in our department and at times I questioned
my own motivation for this choice. Coursework alone would not have offered me the depth of
knowledge that I acquired from this effort. Working on this research gave me the opportunity to
develop a greater understanding of the role faculty assume beyond the classroom.
To my major professor, Dr. Krisanna Machtmes, thank you for your patience, expertise
and timely encouragement. You responded to my repeated questions and edits from home and
after work hours with the same dedication.
To the professors who served on my committee, Dr. Michael Burnett and Dr. Geraldine
Johnson, thank you for your time, instruction and valuable input.
Partners for Youth with Disabilities
I met Maureen Gallagher at an ARPCT conference and was so impressed with PYD’s
program that I explored mentoring opportunities for Louisiana. Because of this effort I
connected with Genelle Campbell Thomas, who offered to assist me with my research. Genelle
provided assistance and support in so many ways that my gratitude cannot be fully expressed in
this paragraph. Thank you to everyone at PYD for your support and inspiration.
Participants
Thank you to each of you for sharing your experiences and your time. I am truly
impressed with your dedication and motivation for assisting others.
ii
Friends
Laura Brackin has been my mentor through graduate school and my profession. Thank
you for the many phone calls offering advice and encouragement. You helped me envision and
cross the finish line.
To all of my ASTD “Titans,” thank you for surrounding me with positive energy and
professionalism. Thank you to my number one ASTD Titan, Charnell Westerman. Thank you
for your direction and editing assistance.
Thank you to all of my many friends who listened and supported me over coffee or
chocolate.
Family
Thank you to my husband, Brett for twenty years of love and support. To my children,
Jeffrey, Andrew and Kayla, I hope that my academic journey has inspired you to establish and
achieve your goals. You have been my strength and motivation.
Thank you to my parents, Ed and Ruth, for the foundation of values which makes me the
person I am today. Thank you for the freedom to explore opportunities that took me across the
world despite the worry it caused you. Thank you for your belief that I could do anything that I
decided to do.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................ ii
LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................. vi
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... vii
CHAPTER
1 INTRODUCTION .1
Problem Statement .3
Purpose of This Study..............................................................................................3
Significance of This Study.......................................................................................4
Rationale for This Study ..........................................................................................5
Definitions of Mentoring .6
Definitions of Disability .7
Research Definitions of Terms ................................................................................8
Limitations of This Study ........................................................................................9
2 LITERATURE REVIEW .10
Individuals with Disabilities .10
Educational Atainment .12
Employment...........................................................................................................14
Why Mentoring? .16
Why Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities? ........................................................20
Mentee Benefits .22
Mentor Benefits .23
Types of Mentoring Programs ...............................................................................25
Mentoring Programs .28
3 METHODOLOGY .30
Qualitative Design .30
Population and Sample .31
Informed Consent.32
Confidentiality .32
How Mentors Were Recruited to Participate? .......................................................32
Data Colection .32
Guiding Questions .33
Participant Interviews .34
Data Analysis .35
4 ANALYSIS OF THE DATA.................................................................................36
Guiding Questions with Participant Responses .....................................................36
Participant Interview Summaries...........................................................................63
Themes.76
5 SUMMARY.80
iv
Summary of Research ............................................................................................81
Findings.83
Unexpected Discoveries.86
Implications.88
Need for Additional Research................................................................................89
REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................90
APPENDIX A: GUIDING QUESTIONS .........................................................................94
APPENDIX B: E-ANNOUNCEMENT ...........................................................................95
APPENDIX C: INTERVIEW SCHEDULING FORM....................................................96
VITA ....................................................................................................................97
v
LIST OF TABLES
1. Characteristics of the Civilian Non-institutionalized Population by Age, Disability Status,
and Type of Disability: 2000 ..................................................................................................11
2. Basis of Exit for Students Who Receive Special Education in the United States during the
1996 to 1998 School Years.....................................................................................................13
3. Kinds of Disabilities and Employment ......................................................................................15
4. Demographic Description of Mentor Participants ....................................................................64
5. Themes and Descriptions of the Mentors’ Lived Experiences ..................................................77
vi
ABSTRACT
Studies have demonstrated the benefits of mentoring as a successful intervention for youth
in programs such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Limited research is available which describes
the experiences of the mentors who participate in a program specifically for youth with
disabilities. Youth with disabilities experience unique challenges as they work towards
academic goals and independent living. Findings from this study will provide a insight into the
lived experiences from the mentors’ perspective.
The methodology used for this study was a single interview with five adult mentors of
youth with disabilities. Qualitative interviews were conducted with each mentors to describe
their lived experience of participation in the mentoring program. Mentors were recruited from
Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) in Boston, Massachusetts. Mentors were asked about
the process of recruitment, mentor-youth match characteristics, activities, training and support
(from program administrators), benefits to the mentor and challenges encountered.
Findings from this study indicate the primary source of recruitment of mentors was
through staff and organizational affiliation. The mentors-mentees match process including
similar interests, disability and geographic proximity should continue. Further exploration is
needed about utilization of training and support. Mentors in this study rarely attended PYD’s
events. The mentors’ initiated the majority of communication and activity planning. Mentees’
needs at various ages generated different responses and challenges. Overall, the mentors found
their mentoring involvement mutually beneficial.
One unexpected discovery was the length of the mentoring relationships for these mentor
participants far exceeded the national averages. Mentors were involved with mentees from three
and twelve years.
vii
Implications would indicate further studies with mentors and mentees with disabilities.
The unique nature of the needs in their relationship needs to be explored to provide mentoring
programs administrators, mentors and funding sources information to develop and support
successful relationships.
viii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Mentoring is a practice which has been utilized for hundreds of years. The term “mentor”
has been adopted from Homer’s character in Odyssey. “Odysseus, Kin of Ithaca, went to fight
in the Trojan War, leaving his wife and infant son Telemachus at home. He appointed his old
friend Mentor as guardian to his son and to the royal household” (Colley, 2001, p. 182). The
practice of mentoring has developed over years from informal relationships to formalized
mentoring programs which are located in diverse environments, such as workplaces,
communities and schools. More recently, mentoring programs are facilitated through technology
resources. Through these mediums and environments, mentoring relationships are formed to
address specific goals such as academics, career growth, life skills, and leadership development.
Some mentoring programs focus on specific populations, including at-risk youth or
individuals with disabilities. “Big Brothers Big Sisters has been shown to have a significant and
positive impact on the lives of children, according to the first-ever nationwide impact study of a
mentoring organization” (Tierney, Grossman, & Resch, 1995, p. 1). Mentoring programs
serving youth populations address a variety of age related issues including peer pressure,
decision-making, goal setting, and life skills.
Within the last several years disability service providers have acknowledged the merits of
mentoring and begun to develop mentoring programs to serve youth with disabilities. Due to the
unique circumstances of the youth, often adults with disabilities are recruited to serve as mentors.
Youth with disabilities require mentors who can speak to their specific challenges and
experiences. Mentors address such topics as independent living, disability management,
disclosure, accommodations, assistive technology as well as academics, careers, leadership, and
life skills. An example of a mentoring program is Partners for Youth with Disabilities.
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