Development of Cities Mentor Project: An Intervention to Improve Academic Outcomes for Low-Income Urban Youth Through Instruction in Effective Coping Supported by Mentoring Relationships and Protective Settings

Abstract

This manuscript summarizes an iterative process used to develop a new intervention for low-income urban youth at risk for negative academic outcomes (e.g., disengagement, failure, drop-out). A series of seven steps, building incrementally one upon the other, are described: 1) identify targets of the intervention; 2) develop logic model; 3) identify effective elements of targets; 4) vet intervention with stakeholders; 5) develop models for sustaining the intervention; 6) develop measures of relevant constructs currently missing from the literature; 7) assess feasibility and usability of the intervention. Methods used to accomplish these steps include basic research studies, literature reviews, meta-analyses, focus groups, community advisory meetings, consultations with scholarly consultants, and piloting. The resulting intervention provides early adolescents in low-income urban communities with a) training in contextually relevant coping, b) connection to mentors who support youth's developing coping strategies, and c) connection to youth-serving community organizations, where youth receive additional support.