E-mentoring for youth with physical disabilities preparing for employment: a content analysis of support exchanged between participants of a mentored and non-mentored group.

Background: Peer-mentoring is a method of delivering support that may ameliorate some of the challenges that youth with physical disabilities experience when preparing for future employment. This qualitative study compared and described forum content of an employment-focused peer e-mentoring intervention for youth with physical disabilities with a focus on support provided within a mentored group (an experimental group) and a non-mentored group (a control group).Methods: Using a descriptive qualitative approach, textual data from discussion forums of two groups within a peer e-mentoring intervention were analyzed through a content analysis. This qualitative study was part of a larger mixed-method pilot-randomized control trial on peer e-mentoring.Results: The mentored group consisted of nine youth with physical disabilities, aged 15-21 (mean age, 17.8) and two paid-peer mentors, and the non-mentored group included seven youth with physical disabilities, aged 15-19 (mean age = 16.1). We analyzed 151 posts. The types of support exchanged differed between the two groups. Two overarching themes emerged: (1) solution-focused support and (2) catalysts for supportConclusion: Peer e-mentoring can offer youth unique forms of support to help them prepare for employment. Clinicians may explore the opportunity for peer e-mentoring to complement current practice in preparing youth with physical disabilities for future employment.Implications for rehabilitationClinicians such as social workers, occupational therapists, and life skill coaches who are interested in preparing youth with physical disabilities for employment should consider the unique types of support provided in an online-mentored group.Peer e-mentoring has the potential to offer youth with physical disabilities distinct types of support and addresses concerns raised from face-to-face mentoring programs, such as accessibility and time.