The benefits of peer mentoring on self-concept in Portuguese higher education

Background: Entry to higher education presents a challenge for students at various levels, academic, personal, social and relational. In this sense, peer support through mentoring becomes fundamental in the development of self-concept and self-esteem. Objective: This study aimed to understand how peer mentoring can contribute to increasing participants ‘self-concept. Methods: We used Susan Harter´s Self-Perception Profile for University Students (SPPCS) to assess self-concept and self-esteem. In our study, 200 students participated (100 mentors and 100 mentees) from the economics and management course of a public university. We choose three assessment moments: pre-test, 1st post-test and 2nd post-test. The scale results were correlated with participation in the mentoring program. Results: We found that students in the experimental group showed positive results in terms of self-concept, with the exception of athletic competence and romantic relationships. Conclusion: The results obtained indicate that students who participated in the mentoring program have higher levels of self-concept in several dimensions compared to students who did not participate. Keywords: Peer-mentoring, Quasi-experimental study, Self-concept, Self-esteem, Higher education.