Dialectical Tensions Experienced by Diversified Mentoring Dyads
Source: International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, Vol. 4, No. 1, p.21 – 36, 2015
The goal of this article is to examine diversified mentoring relationships (DMRs) at a mid-sized Midwestern state university (MMSU) in the USA.
The author conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 MMSU faculty members and professional personnel who comprised seven diversified mentoring dyads.
The mentees were primarily members of underrepresented minority (URMs) groups, whereas the majority of mentors were members of the dominant culture.
The author used a thematic analysis of the data, grounded in the literature on developmental relationships and relational dialectics theory (RDT).
The findings reveal tensions that diversified mentoring dyads experienced, as well as communication strategies that dyad members used to manage these tensions.
The findings offer in-depth insight and practical implications for URM faculty members in predominantly white institutions around the globe.
This study has important implications for training supervisors, mentors, and senior colleagues of URM faculty members.