Comparison between the Mentoring Interaction Perspectives of Mentors and Mentees in Illegal Drug Use Prevention: A Q methodology investigation (Preprint)

Abstract

Only limited empirical research has compared the different perspectives of mentors and mentees regarding mentoring interactions in drug use prevention. Perspective comparisons between these groups will provide a beneficial understanding of how mentoring can be improved. Using online self-assessment to understand perspectives was an innovative approach to uncover the similarities and differences between mentors and mentees.

This study aims to identify and compare the patterns of shared perspectives of mentors and mentees associated with their experiences in preventing illegal drug use during the mentoring process.

In this study, we applied the Q methodology to cluster participants into groups according to the similarities of their Q sorts through online self-assessment. Accordingly, 39 Q statements were developed by integrating published literature and expert opinions. Further, a total of 31 pairs of mentors and mentees participated in the study to rank the designed Q statements by using a Q sort. Subsequently, we applied PQ Method 2.35 software to perform Q factor analysis on the Q sort data from mentors and mentees. Each resulting final factor represented a group of participants with similar perspectives.

This study included separate Q factor analyses for mentors and mentees. The analyses provided a five-factor solution for the mentors that accounted for 58% of the total variance. Another five-factor solution for the mentees explained 49% of the total variance. One similarity between the groups was the need to enhance the involvement of significant others to help mentees quit drugs. Further, a major identified difference between the groups was that whereas the mentees highlighted the importance of health consequences of drug misuse in helping them stop use, the mentors did not.

The adoption of the Q methodology enabled a direct comparison of the perspectives of mentors and mentees regarding illegal drug use prevention. The elucidation of more similarities and differences between mentors and mentees could offer a more insightful understanding of preventing the drug use by mentees.