Department of Psychological, Health & Learning Sciences (PHLS) assistant professor, Samuel McQuillin, has received a grant award from the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health for the project titled Promoting Adolescent Mental Health through School-Based Mentoring: A Randomized Pilot Study. 

This grant will allow McQuillin to investigate the impact of brief youth mentoring relationships on the mental health of children who have sub-clinical emotional and behavioral problems. “These are children who struggle in school, but do not qualify for special education services or have a diagnosed mental disorder,” said McQuillin.

While these youth are commonly referred to participate in youth mentoring programs, little is known about the impact of these programs or best practices when mentoring this subgroup of youth.

Over the past several years, McQuillin has developed and evaluated a mentoring program for middle-school students. The University of Houston’s Academic Mentoring Program for Education and Development (UH-AMPED) research lab at the UH College of Education is a school-based youth mentoring program designed to promote academic and behavioral wellness for middle-school students in the Houston area. 

By conducting experiments, and then revising the curriculum, McQuillin has increased the effects of the program with each evaluation. The current study is a modified version of this curriculum which includes specific practices designed to help youth who have elevated emotional or behavioral problems.

“This grant benefits PHLS, because the mentors in the intervention are volunteer students and staff from the University of Houston,” said McQuillin.  “This is great applied experience for them, as they learn and use evidence-based practices while receiving supervision from Ph.D. students and faculty. Students who become mentors also often end up joining my research lab after participating in their studies.”

Students who work with McQuillin and other members of his research lab gain a better knowledge and understanding of how academic research is applied and how it can be used effectively to make a difference in schools and local community. “Volunteering in the research lab as an undergraduate has given me applicable research experience that has helped me get into graduate school,” said Counseling graduate student, Terrill Taylor.  “This grant specifically has allowed Dr. McQuillin to hire me as a graduate assistant so that I can further enhance my contributions to his research - having that opportunity in itself is an honor."

“The data driven mentoring programs that Dr. McQuillin develops and evaluates have the potential to change the trajectory of our youth in very tangible ways,” said PHLS chair, Ezemenari Obasi.  “They also provide our students with real-world opportunities to be change agents in our local schools.”

 “This award is a true reflection of Dr. McQuillin’s commitment to achieve the premier research status for the University of Houston”, said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, Acting Vice Chancellor/Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer at the University of Houston.