• It was found that important to program design are elements such as format, delivery, and funding.
• Important to recognise as vital parts of a program are the contribution of those involved.

• Study design:ÌýThe study used a generic qualitative design.
• Objectives:ÌýThis article set out to garner knowledge of peer mentorship programs delivered by SCI community-based organizations by interviewing people who are directly and in-directly involved with these programs. Setting:ÌýFour provincial community-based SCI organizations across Canada. An integrated knowledge translation approach was applied in which researchers and SCI organization members co-constructed, co-conducted, and co-interpreted the study.
• ²Ñ±ð³Ù³ó´Ç»å²õ:ÌýThirty-six individuals (N = 36, including peer mentees, mentors, family members of mentees, and organizational staff) from four provincial SCI community-based organizations were interviewed. The participants' perspectives were combined and analyzed using a thematic analysis.
• Results:ÌýTwo overarching themes with respective subthemes were identified. Mentorship Mechanics describes the characteristics of mentors and mentees and components of the mentor-mentee relationship (e.g., establish a common ground). Under the theme Peer Mentorship Program Structures, participants described the organizational considerations for peer mentorship programs (e.g., format), and organizational responsibilities (e.g., funding; creating a peer mentorship team).
• Conclusion:ÌýThis study provides an in-depth look at the characteristics of peer mentorship programs that are delivered by community-based organizations in Canada and highlights the complexity of delivering such programs.

Ìý

• Project lead and contact information: Shane N. Sweet, 514-398-4184 x09903, shane.sweet [at] mcgill.ca, or
• Citation: Sweet, S.N., Hennig, L., Pastore, O.L., Hawley, S., Clarke, T.Y., Flaro, H., Schaefer, L., & Gainforth, H.L. (2021) Understanding peer mentorship programs delivered by Canadian SCI community-based organizations: perspectives on mentors and organizational considerations. Spinal Cord, 59, 1285-1293. doi: 10.1038/s41393-021-00721-6

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• Organisations can be confident that mentors tend to use the same positive techniques in both phone and video chats
• Strong relationships were formed whichever type of modality was used.

Objectives: To examine how the quality of spinal cord injury peer mentorship relationships and mentor-mentee behaviors are impacted by interaction modality.

Methods: Using a within-subjects, repeated measures, experimental design, peer mentors (n = 8) completed two mentoring sessions with a standardized mentee in a telephone and a video chat condition. Measures of therapeutic alliance and autonomy supportiveness were administered following each session. Mentors' leadership behaviors, motivational interviewing skills, and behavior change techniques were compared across conditions. Mentors' and mentees' use of motivational interviewing skills and behavior change techniques were further analyzed using state space grids.

Results: Mentors' therapeutic alliance, autonomy supportiveness, use of leadership behaviors, motivational interviewing skills, and behavior change techniques did not significantly differ across the two conditions (ps > 0.123; Cohen's d range = 0.218-0.619). State space grids analyses revealed that the dynamic structure of mentoring conversations was similar when interactions occurred through the telephone versus video chat.

Conclusions: Mentors were effective at forming positive, autonomy supportive relationships with mentees in telephone and video chat interaction conditions. Mentors also used leadership/counselling behaviors to a similar extent when interacting through these two modalities.

Practice implications: Organizations that provide peer mentorship can have confidence in using both telephone and video chat modalities.

Keywords: Interaction modality; Peer mentorship; Spinal cord injury; State space grids.

Project lead and contact information: Robert B. Shaw, or shawrb1 [at] mail.ubc.ca

Citation: Shaw, R. B., Giroux, E. E., Gainforth, H. L., McBride, C. B., Vierimaa, M., & Martin Ginis, K. A. (2022). Investigating the influence of interaction modality on the communication patterns of spinal cord injury peer mentors. Patient Education and Counseling, 105(5), 1229–1236.

• Peer mentorship is occurring through various interaction modalities and at varying frequencies.
• We still have little knowledge on the mediating or moderating effects of modality and frequency of peer support interactions on the reported outcomes.

Given our understanding of the importance of peer mentorship for people with disabilities, research needs to begin exploring characteristics of the mentor-mentee relationship that could contribute to the observed positive outcomes. To date, no review has examined characteristics of peer mentorship (i.e. interaction modality, interaction frequency) that could impact the quality and effectiveness of this service. The primary purpose was to synthesize the peer-reviewed peer mentorship literature for people with disabilities and report on the interaction modality and frequency employed in each study. A secondary purpose was to document the results of studies that have tested relationships between the outcomes of peer mentorship and interaction modality or frequency. A scoping review was performed that involved a systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Articles reported five different interaction modalities; the telephone (n = 12) was the most common. Frequency of interactions was reported in nine studies with mentees reporting between 3 and 77 interactions with their mentor. Only one study attempted to analyze the mediating or moderating effects of modality and frequency on the reported outcomes. In conclusion, peer mentorship is occurring through various interaction modalities and at varying frequencies. Future research should focus on examining the impact that modality and frequency of interaction have on outcomes of peer mentorship.

Project lead and contact information: Robert B. Shaw, or shawrb1 [at] mail.ubc.ca

Citation: Shaw, R. B., Lawrason, S. V. C., Todd, K. R., & Martin Ginis, K. A. (2021). A Scoping Review of Peer Mentorship Studies for People with Disabilities: Exploring Interaction Modality and Frequency of Interaction. Health communication, 36(14), 1841–1851.

Results from this study provide a wide range of considerations for creation of a peer-mentoring program. It also provides important considerations regarding the culture and environment.

Study design: Generic qualitative design.

Objectives: To explore how Chinese adults living with spinal cord injury (SCI) viewed the prospect of inpatient peer support programs within a rehabilitation setting.

Setting: Hospital in China.

Methods: A purposive sample of adult inpatients with SCI (N = 6) currently undergoing rehabilitation was recruited. Each participant was interviewed twice. Twelve interview transcripts were analyzed using a thematic method.

Results: Five higher-order themes were developed. First, participants had unique backgrounds and personal lives before and after their SCI and reported frustrations about their lives resulting from their SCI. Second, participants reported varying degrees of satisfaction with their rehabilitation and identified the facilitators and barriers to their rehabilitation. Third, their perspectives on peer support were shaped by their rehabilitation goals. For example, participants who solely focused on the recovery of physical functioning noted that peers could help to supplement existing rehabilitation programming by guiding their rehabilitation exercises. Participants who concentrated on their future lives believed peers could teach them new skills to facilitate their integration in the community. However, some participants felt they could not trust peers’ advice because peers are not healthcare providers. Fourth, peer support delivery options varied from online chat groups (i.e., WeChat), in person conversations, and mentoring lectures. Finally, anticipated outcomes were related to obtaining practical and emotional support from peers, being motivated, and feeling understood.

Project lead and contact information: Zhiyang (George) Shi; zhiyang.shi [at] mail.mcgill.ca

Citation: Shi, Z., Koch, J., Schaefer, L., Li, Q., Wang, L., & Sweet, S. N. (2020). Exploring how Chinese adults living with spinal cord injury viewed the prospect of inpatient peer support programs within a hospital-based rehabilitation setting. Spinal Cord, 58, 1206–1215. Doi: · Open access link: