Effect of peer mentoring program on students’ communication skills, self-confidence and educational achievements in Dental Faculty of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Background: Mentoring is a method used by various universities to support students in adapting to the new university environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of peer mentoring program on students’ communication skills, self-confidence and educational achievements in Dental Faculty of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Methods and Materials: In this cross sectional study, 17 fourth, fifth and sixth year students were selected as mentors and 53 first year students with conditions to enter the study were selected as mentees. Individuals who did not want to participate in the mentoring project were considered as a control group (26 people). Data collection tools included self-confidence and communication skills questionnaires that the reliability and validity of both questionnaires were checked and confirmed. After explaining the goals and conditions of inclusion in the study, both questionnaires were distributed among mentors and mentees at the beginning of the semester and end of the semester. The amount of educational achievement of individuals was done by comparing the grade point average of the first and second semesters received from the faculty education. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 22 software and t-test and paired t-test. Results: Before Peer Mentoring program, the amount of communication skills, self-confidence and grade point average were similar in the Mentee and control groups, but after Peer Mentoring in the Mentee group was significantly higher than the control group. In the group of mentees, amount of communication skills, self-confidence and grade point average were significantly increased after peer mentoring program compared to before Peer Mentoring program. Also, after peer mentoring program, the amount of educational achievements was similar in men and women. But self-confidence and communication skills were significantly different based on gender (p <.05). So that the amount of communication skills in women and the amount of self-confidence in men was higher. In mentors, the amount of communication skills, self-confidence and grade point average increased significantly after peer mentoring program compared to before peer mentoring program. After Peer Mentoring program, all three variables were similar in men and women. Conclusion: Mentoring program has a significant effect on increasing communication skills, self-confidence and educational achievements of mentors and mentees of the Tabriz dental faculty.