What Matters In Mentoring? Effect Of Mentor Cultural Awareness On Mentee Outcomes

描述（由申请人提供）：有效的研究指导关系是培养下一代科学家和卫生专业人员在科学、技术、工程、数学和医学 (STEMM) 领域从事研究职业或帮助做出明智决定的关键要素。然而，人们对这种关系中的具体因素如何影响受训者的学术和职业研究追求却知之甚少。经验证据表明，性别、种族和民族等文化多样性因素影响本科生研究导师对其指导经历的看法，然而，关于文化多样性因素如何在研究指导关系中运作并影响导师的研究几乎不存在。为了推进培训干预措施，提高研究导师有效指导文化多元化研究学员的能力，有必要了解导师文化多样性意识（CDA）对学员学术和职业成果的影响。拟议的研究通过以下三个具体目标解决了这一关键需求：目标 #1 将确定导师和受训者如何定义导师 CDA 以及导师对研究指导关系中文化多样性 (CDR) 相关性的态度。目标 #2 将确定 导师文化多样性意识与学员研究相关的自我认知和积极成果（即参加 STEMM 研究生培训或 STEMM 职业的意愿）之间的关系。目标 #3 将通过随机对照试验 (RCT) 调查导师 CDR 态度如何影响他们对提高 CDA 的培训的反应，以及培训是否影响 1) 受训者对导师有效性的评分以及 2) 导师与受训者对受训者研究技能/职业知识的评分的一致性。该提案的预期成果是：1）一套导师文化多样性意识（CDA）的指标和描述符以及导师CDR态度的衡量标准； 2）经过验证的导师CDA和CDR态度测量，可用于导师自我评估和测试CDA培训的有效性； 3) 加强导师 CDA 的干预措施，以及； 4）经过测试的研究指导关系模型，其中包括 CDA。该提案具有创新性，因为它：1）关注研究指导关系中的文化多样性因素； 2）以职业发展和文化能力的研究和理论为指导； 3）采用混合方法来制定导师CDA和导师CDR态度的指标和评估工具； 4) 分析研究指导关系中导师与受训者对关键要素的看法一致的重要性。拟议的研究意义重大，因为它将：1）阐明研究指导关系的两个尚未充分研究的方面——CDA的作用以及导师和受训者在这种关系中的看法保持一致的重要性； 2）凭经验确定导师的CDA与学员自我认知和积极成果的相关性； 3) 制定并验证评估导师 CDA 和 CDR 态度的措施； 4) 制定经过 RCT 测试的干预措施以改进导师 CDA。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): An effective research mentoring relationship is a key element in preparing the next generation of scientists and health professionals to pursue or help make informed decisions about pursuing research careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). Yet, little is known about how specific factors in this relationship affect mentees' academic and career pursuits in research. Empirical evidence indicates that the cultural diversity factors of gender, race, and ethnicity affect undergraduate research mentees' perception of their mentoring experience, however, research on how cultural diversity factors operate in the research mentoring relationship and affect mentees is virtually non-existent. To advance training interventions that build the capacity of research mentors to effectively mentor culturally diverse research mentees, it is necessary to understand the impact of mentor cultural diversity awareness (CDA) on mentee academic and career outcomes. The proposed research addresses this critical need through the following three Specific Aims: Aim #1 will determine how mentors and mentees define mentor CDA and mentors' attitudes about the relevance of cultural diversity (CDR) in research mentoring relationships. Aim #2 will identify relationships between mentor cultural diversity awareness and mentee research-related self-perceptions and positive outcomes (i.e., intent to enter STEMM graduate training or a STEMM career). Aim #3 will investigate, via a randomized controlled trial (RCT), how mentor CDR attitudes affect their response to a training to increase their CDA and whether that training affects 1) mentees' ratings of mentor effectiveness and 2) alignment of mentor-mentee ratings of mentees' research skills/career knowledge. Expected outcomes from this proposal are: 1) a set of indicators and descriptors of mentor cultural diversity awareness (CDA) and a measure of mentor CDR attitudes; 2) validated measures of mentor CDA and CDR attitudes that can be used for mentor self-assessment and to test the effectiveness of CDA training; 3) an intervention to enhance mentor CDA, and; 4) a tested model of research mentoring relationships that includes CDA. This proposal is innovative because it: 1) focuses on cultural diversity factors within research mentoring relationships; 2) is guided by research and theory on career development and cultural competence; 3) employs a mixed-methods approach to develop indicators of and assessment instruments for mentor CDA and mentor CDR attitudes; and 4) analyzes the importance of alignment between mentor-mentee perceptions of critical elements in the research mentoring relationship. The proposed research is significant because it will: 1) shed light on two understudied aspects of research mentoring relationships - the role of CDA and the importance of alignment between mentor and mentee perceptions in the relationship; 2) empirically identify the relevance of mentors' CDA to mentee self-perceptions and positive outcomes; 3) develop and validate measures to assess mentor CDA and CDR attitudes; and 4) produce an RCT-tested intervention to improve mentor CDA.