The Perceptions of PsyCap Growth Among College Student Leaders Who Mentor

Authors

James Lee, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Lindsay J. Hastings

Date of this Version

8-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Citation

A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Major: Human Sciences (Leadership Studies)

Under the supervision of Professor Lindsay J. Hastings

Lincoln, Nebraska, August 2023

Comments

Copyright 2023, James Lee

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to examine the perceptions of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) growth among college student leaders who mentor. Recent research documented a positive association between mentoring and the mentee’s PsyCap growth, yet little is known about how mentoring impacts the mentor’s PsyCap. Additionally, though PsyCap has been researched considerably in the last decade, little is known about both the antecedents of PsyCap and the social mechanisms that contribute to the growth of PsyCap. This study addresses these gaps and examines the influence of mentoring for leadership development on the mentors’ perceptions of PsyCap growth. There are two specific research questions: (a) the perceptions of change in PsyCap in college student leaders who mentor, (b) the moderating effect of time spent mentoring on the mentors’ perceptions of change in PsyCap. Participants will complete an online survey that includes demographic information and their length of time mentoring, plus the PsyCap survey (PCQ-12) taken in a “post then pre” approach, and the Big Five Inventory (BFI) to measure the personality characteristics of conscientiousness and extroversion. A one-way ANCOVA plus a factorial ANCOVA will be used to analyze the data and to examine the perceptions of PsyCap change in mentors, plus understand the moderating influence of the number of months spent mentoring on the mentor’s perception of PsyCap change while controlling for gender, GPA range, and the Big 5 personality characteristics of conscientiousness and extroversion.

Advisor: Lindsay J. Hastings