Mentoring is a critical component for retaining diverse talent in the STEM field. However, despite their best intentions, mentors may be unaware of how racial or ethnic differences may influence their mentees’ research experience. To further investigate this potential disparity, Byars-Winston and Butz developed a scale to assess cultural diversity awareness related to race and ethnicity in research-mentoring relationships informed by multicultural counseling theory and social cognitive theory. Instrument validity yielded a three-factor mentor scale assessing attitudes, behavior, and confidence and a two-factor mentee scale assessing attitudes and behavior. This scale can be used as a self-assessment to prompt mentors’ reflection on their mentoring practices and to encourage new ways of acknowledging and appreciating cultural diversity in their research-mentoring relationships.
CBE Life Sci. Educ. 10.1187/cbe.19-06-0127 (2021).
