A systematic review of mentorship programs to facilitate transition to post-secondary education and employment for youth and young adults with disabilities

<i>Purpose:</i> Youth with disabilities experience barriers in transitioning to Post-Secondary Education (PSE) and employment. Mentorship programs provide a promising approach to supporting youth through those transitions. This paper aims to identify the effective components of mentorship programs and describe participants’ experiences. <i>Method:</i> We undertook a systematic review of mentorship interventions for youth and young adults with disabilities. We searched seven electronic databases for peer-reviewed articles published in English between 1980 and 2014. We included articles that examined mentorship interventions focused on PSE or employment outcomes among youth, aged thirty or younger, with physical, developmental, or cognitive disabilities. <i>Results:</i> Of the 5068 articles identified, 22 met the inclusion criteria. For seven mentorship interventions, at least one significant improvement was reported in school- or work-related outcomes. Mentorship programs with significant outcomes were often structured, delivered in group-based or mixed formats, and longer in duration (&gt;6 months). Mentors acted as role models, offered advice, and provided mentees with social and emotional support. <i>Conclusions:</i> Evidence suggests that mentorship programs may be effective for helping youth with disabilities transition to PSE or employment. More rigorously designed studies are needed to document the impact of mentorship programs on school and vocational outcomes for youth with disabilities.Implications for RehabilitationMentorship interventions have the potential to effectively support youth with disabilities as they transition to post-secondary education and employment.Youth should consider participating in formal mentorship interventions, and clinicians and educators should encourage them to do so, to enhance social, educational, and vocational outcomes.When developing interventions, clinicians should consider incorporating the effective components (i.e. duration, content, format) of mentorship interventions identified in this paper. Future mentorship programs should also contain a rigorous evaluation component.Clinicians can help to create (build content, consult on accessibility), connect (youth to program, program to community agencies), and contribute to mentorship interventions. Mentorship interventions have the potential to effectively support youth with disabilities as they transition to post-secondary education and employment. Youth should consider participating in formal mentorship interventions, and clinicians and educators should encourage them to do so, to enhance social, educational, and vocational outcomes. When developing interventions, clinicians should consider incorporating the effective components (i.e. duration, content, format) of mentorship interventions identified in this paper. Future mentorship programs should also contain a rigorous evaluation component. Clinicians can help to create (build content, consult on accessibility), connect (youth to program, program to community agencies), and contribute to mentorship interventions.

### 研究背景与目标
残障青年在向高等教育（Post-Secondary Education, PSE）及职场过渡的过程中普遍面临多重阻碍。导师制项目（mentorship programs）为助力该群体顺利完成过渡提供了极具潜力的解决方案。本文旨在明确导师制项目的有效构成要素，并系统阐述参与者的实践体验。
### 研究方法
本研究针对残障青年与年轻群体的导师制干预措施开展系统综述（systematic review）。我们检索了7个电子数据库中1980年至2014年间发表的英文同行评议论文（peer-reviewed articles）。纳入标准为：研究对象为30岁及以下、存在肢体、发育或认知障碍的青年，且研究内容聚焦于该群体高等教育或职场相关成效的导师制干预措施。
### 研究结果
本次检索共识别出5068篇文献，其中22篇符合纳入标准。在7项导师制干预研究中，均报告了至少一项学业或职场相关成效的显著提升。取得显著成效的导师制项目通常具备结构化设计，采用小组式或混合式开展形式，且持续时长超过6个月。导师的角色涵盖充当行为榜样、提供专业咨询建议，并为受导者（mentees）提供社会与情感支持。
### 研究结论
现有研究证据表明，导师制项目可有效助力残障青年向高等教育或职场顺利过渡。未来仍需开展设计更为严谨的研究，以明确导师制项目对残障青年学业与职业发展成效的具体影响。
### 康复领域应用启示
导师制干预措施可有效支持残障青年完成向高等教育与职场的过渡。青年群体应考虑参与正规导师制干预项目，临床工作者与教育者应鼓励其参与，以提升其社会、教育与职业发展成效。在开发干预项目时，临床工作者应纳入本文所明确的导师制干预有效构成要素，即项目时长、内容与形式。未来的导师制项目应增设严谨的评估环节。临床工作者可通过以下方式参与导师制干预：搭建项目内容、就无障碍性提供咨询建议，为青年对接项目资源，以及为项目对接社区机构，从而助力导师制干预的开展。
导师制干预措施可有效支持残障青年完成向高等教育与职场的过渡。青年群体应考虑参与正规导师制干预项目，临床工作者与教育者应鼓励其参与，以提升其社会、教育与职业发展成效。在开发干预项目时，临床工作者应纳入本文所明确的导师制干预有效构成要素，即项目时长、内容与形式。未来的导师制项目应增设严谨的评估环节。临床工作者可通过以下方式参与导师制干预：搭建项目内容、就无障碍性提供咨询建议，为青年对接项目资源，以及为项目对接社区机构，从而助力导师制干预的开展。