Abstract
BackgroundChildren and youth with disabilities experience many challenges in their development, including higher risk of poor self-esteem, fewer friendships, and social isolation. Electronic mentoring is a potentially viable approach for youth with disabilities to access social and peer support within a format that reduces physical barriers to accessing mentors.ObjectiveOur objective was to synthesize and review the literature on the impact of electronic mentoring for children and youth with disabilities.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review, completing comprehensive searches of 7 databases from 1993 to May 2018. We selected articles for inclusion that were peer-reviewed publications, had a sample of children or youth with disabilities (≤25 years of age), and had empirical findings with at least one outcome focusing on the impact of electronic mentoring. Two reviewers independently applied the inclusion criteria, extracted the data, and rated the study quality before discussing the findings.ResultsIn the 25 studies meeting our inclusion criteria, 897 participants (aged 12-26, mean 17.4 years) were represented across 6 countries. Although the outcomes varied across the studies, of 11 studies testing significance, 9 (81%) reported a significant improvement in at least one of the following: career decision making, self-determination, self-advocacy, self-confidence, self-management, social skills, attitude toward disability, and coping with daily life. The electronic mentoring interventions varied in their delivery format and involved 1 or more of the following: interactive websites, virtual environment, email, mobile apps, Skype video calls, and phone calls. A total of 13 studies involved one-to-one mentoring, 6 had group-based mentoring, and 6 had a combination of both.ConclusionsThe evidence in this review suggests it is possible that electronic mentoring is effective for children and youth with disabilities. More rigorously designed studies are needed to understand the impact and effective components of electronic mentoring interventions.
Highlights
Approximately 3.7% of Canadian children [1] and 5.6% of American children [2] have a disability and encounter many challenges to their full participation and inclusion in society.They are frequently socially isolated, physically excluded, and at risk of abuse and poor developmental, social, and vocational outcomes [3,4]
The evidence in this review suggests it is possible that electronic mentoring is effective for children and youth with disabilities
We conducted a systematic review because a meta-analysis was not feasible given the heterogeneity of the studies reviewed
Summary
Background Approximately 3.7% of Canadian children [1] and 5.6% of American children [2] have a disability and encounter many challenges to their full participation and inclusion in society They are frequently socially isolated, physically excluded, and at risk of abuse and poor developmental, social, and vocational outcomes [3,4]. Focusing on children and youth with disabilities is critical because disadvantages are compounded for those who start life with a disability [11,12] They are a unique population that often encounters multiple disadvantages, with developmental tasks, social development, and role functioning [13,14]. Electronic mentoring is a potentially viable approach for youth with disabilities to access social and peer support within a format that reduces physical barriers to accessing mentors
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