title: Perceived benefits of mentoring in pediatric psychology: a qualitative approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify tangible and intangible benefits of mentoring cited by a select group of identified mentors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty frequently named mentors within pediatric psychology provided responses to open-ended questions regarding benefits they have experienced through the mentoring process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mentors identified many personal and professional benefits of the mentoring relationship, although they did not clearly distinguish between tangible and intangible advantages to the relationship. The most commonly reported benefits included career development of the mentee, mentor's career enhancement, and a sense of giving back to the field of pediatric psychology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A bidirectional definition of mentoring more accurately describes the relationship than a more traditional unidirectional definition. These results suggest that mentors experience a wide variety of benefits that could be examined more closely within the field.
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas, Clinical Child Psychology Program, 2010 Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA. kimberly.canter@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kimberly S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Canter
authors.forename: Emily D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Cathleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Odar
authors.forename: Brandon S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Aylward
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008611:Mentors / Q000193:education*; D002666:Psychology, Child / Q000193:education*; D012107:Research Design