A 15-Year Integrative Review of the Influence of Directive Mentoring and Mentors' Unsolicited Advice on Mentoring Outcomes

Mentoring profoundly shapes professional development, yet the effects of directive behaviours and unsolicited advice remain poorly understood. This integrative literature review examined how overly directive mentoring influences mentoring experiences and how unsolicited advice affects mentoring relationships, drawing on self-determination theory. A systematic search of Web of Science and EBSCO databases (2010–2025) identified 18 empirical studies. Findings revealed that directiveness and unsolicited advice operate as double-edged practices, capable of both supporting and undermining mentee autonomy, competence and relational quality. Theoretically, this review reconceptualises both constructs as measurable behavioural continua and advocates for future quantitative investigation to advance precision in mentoring research and practice.