Learning to Love, Work, and Live Your Best Life: Mentoring in Emerging Adulthood Predicts Later Flourishing and Subjective Well-Being

Jordan Boeder, Veronica Fruiht, Sarah Hwang, Giovanna Blanco, Thomas Chan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Mentors that guide young people in their transition to adulthood provide support in a variety of domains that set the stage for happier adult lives. While mentoring during emerging adulthood is associated with shorter-term social and professional success—less is known about whether mentoring for career and committed relationships, specifically, are linked to downstream well-being. This study uses nationally representative data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (N = 6,197) to examine whether receiving mentoring in emerging adulthood is linked to later flourishing and subjective well-being. Structural Equation Models indicate that people with career mentors in emerging adulthood reported higher levels of flourishing and subjective well-being and those with committed relationship mentors reported more flourishing in later life. Findings suggest that emerging adults who receive career supports may have better chances of experiencing well-being downstream.
Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)1222-1234
JournalEmerging Adulthood
Volume10
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 12 2021

Keywords

  • happiness
  • relationship mentoring
  • career mentoring
  • social support
  • social capital

Disciplines

  • Social Psychology

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