RacismCSRNCT05391711
Culturally Smart Relationships Study
A study testing Culturally Smart Relationships in people with Racism, run by University of Illinois at Chicago at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The aim of this study is to examine whether and how the provision of a cultural humility and social justice training and support program to volunteer mentors can change their interactions with youth, improve the effectiveness of programs and foster positive outcomes for low-income youth of color. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 9 to 17 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Racism
- What is being tested?
- Culturally Smart Relationships
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 813 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 16 Feb 2022to 1 Jun 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 9 to 17 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- youth is between 9 and 17 years of age
- youth is eligible for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring (CBM) program as determined by initial assessment of program staff
- youth is a member of a racial/ethnic minority group, such as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American/Native Alaskan/Native Hawaiian, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern/North African or Arab American
- Parents of the above youth who are able to complete study measures in English or Spanish
- Mentors are eligible for the study if they are applying and accepted to the CBM program and are eventually matched with a youth who meet the study criteria above or currently in an existing match with a youth who meet eligibility criteria.
Who cannot join
- anyone who doesn't meet the above inclusion criteria
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, 60607
About this study
Official title: Evaluation of a Cultural Humility and Social Justice Training Program for Volunteer Mentors of Youth of Color
The aim of this study is to examine whether and how the provision of a cultural humility and social justice training and support program to volunteer mentors can change their interactions with youth, improve the effectiveness of programs and foster positive outcomes for low-income youth of color. Mentor-youth dyads (N=240) will be randomly assigned either to an intervention that includes cultural humility and social justice training and enhanced support or to a control group. Survey and interview data will be collected from a variety of sources, including mentors, youth, parents and case managers. Case records about mentor-youth dyads will also be collected.
Read the detailed description
The aim of this study is to examine whether and how the provision of a cultural humility and social justice training and support program to volunteer mentors can change their interactions with youth, improve the effectiveness of programs and foster positive outcomes for low-income youth of color. The study's specific aims are to investigate:
- The impact of a cultural humility and social justice training and supports for BBBS mentors of youth of color on:
- mentor's cultural humility and social justice knowledge, attitudes and approach to their mentoring relationships,
- the quality of the mentor-youth relationships, and
- youth's developmental outcomes
- The processes through which the intervention achieves the above effects.
The study is being conducted in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) and participants will be recruited from 7 BBBSA affiliates located in different regions of the U.S. Participants will include 240 mentor-youth dyads and their case managers and youth's parents. Youth will be low-income, youth of color between the ages of 9 and 17 years. Mentor-youth dyads will be randomly assigned either to an intervention that includes cultural humility and social justice trainings and enhanced support or to a control group (business as usual). Mentors will complete survey measures at baseline, 4 months and 12 months. Youth and case managers will complete survey measures at baseline and 12 months, while parents complete a baseline survey. Program case records will be examined as well. A subset of mentor-youth dyads (n=24) and their case managers and parents will participate in a qualitative longitudinal study. The qualitative methods will include two individual interviews of youth and mentors, a virtual dyadic interview of the mentoring dyad, interviews with parents and case managers as well as recorded supervisory contacts with mentors.
- Conditions
- Racism
- Being tested
- Culturally Smart Relationships
- Keywords
- mentoring, prevention
- Medical subject headings
- Racism
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Culturally Smart RelationshipsBehavioural
Mentors assigned to the intervention will receive the following trainings and support:
- Online Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) trainings (self-paced)
- Culturally Smart Relationships Training (live, virtual)
- JEDI enhanced monthly supervision from case managers
- Monthly emails with activity suggestions for mentors and youth
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Culturally Smart Relationships | Experimental | The mentors assigned to this group will receive additional trainings and support related to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI). Receives: Behavioral: Culturally Smart Relationships |
| Control Group | No intervention | The mentors assigned to this group will NOT receive an intervention. They will receive the regular training activities that the agency provides. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Cultural Humility
Mentor report - Empathic Feeling and Expression Subscale from Ethnocultural Empathy Scale (Wang et al., 2003) - 15 items - mean scores range from 1 to 6; 2 reversed scores items; higher scores reflect higher empathic feeling and expression
Measured: 4 months
Self-efficacy beliefs for providing ethnic/racial support
Mentor report - 6-item scale (Anderson et al., 2018) - mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher self-efficacy
Measured: 12 months
Self-efficacy beliefs for engaging in conversations about racial injustice
Mentor report - 4-item scale created for this study (Sánchez et al., 2021) - mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher self-efficacy
Measured: 12 months
Perceived Knowledge
Mentor report - Adapted measure of Multicultural awareness, knowledge and skills scale (D'Andrea et al., 2003) - 13 items. Items were added and adapted to reflect the current intervention. Mean scores range from 1 to 4. Higher scores reflect higher perceived knowledge.
Measured: 4 months
Colorblind racial attitudes
Mentor report - Unawareness of Racial Privilege subscale of the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS; Neville et al., 2000) - 7 items - Mean scores range from 1 to 6; 6 items are reverse scored; higher scores reflect more unawareness of racial privilege
Measured: 4 months
Mentor support for ethnic/racial identity
Youth reported scale (Sanchez et al., 2018) - adapted for the current study and added 5 items for a total of 11 items - 1 reversed scored item; Mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate more support from mentors on youth's ethnic/racial identity.
Measured: 12 months
Mentor support for coping with discrimination
Youth-reported 8-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021); 3 reversed scored items; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate more support from mentors on youth's coping with discrimination.
Measured: 12 months
Youth-centered relationships
Youth reported - Youth Centered Relationships Subscale of Youth Survey - 5 items. Youth-reported scale; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate a more youth-centric mentoring relationship.
Measured: 12 months
Activities and discussions on race and social justice issues - Mentor
Mentor reported - 11-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021). Mean scores range from 0 to 3; Higher scores indicate more frequent engagement in activities and discussions about race and social justice.
Measured: 12 months
Activities and discussions on race and social justice issues - Youth
Youth reported - 11-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021). Mean scores range from 0 to 3; higher scores indicate more frequent engagement in activities and discussions about race and social justice.
Measured: 12 months
Activities/discussions on racial/ethnic socialization
mentor reported - 6-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021). Mean scores range between 0 and 3. Higher scores reflect more frequent racial/ethnic socialization activities and discussions.
Measured: 12 months
Mentor Attunement Scale
Mentor reported scale - 7 item scale(Pryce \& Deane, 2019). Mean scores range between 1 and 6. Higher scores reflect higher mentor attunement.
Measured: 12 months
Mentor Attunement Scale - Youth Version
Youth reported scale - MAS-Y; Pryce \& Deane, 2019; 15 items. Mean scores range from 1 to 6; higher scores indicate higher mentor attunement.
Measured: 12 months
Cultural clashes
Mentor Reported Challenges Scale - 3 items (Herrera et al., 2014); mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores reflect more cultural clashes in the relationship.
Measured: 12 months
Openness to adult support
Youth reported - Interpersonal Trust Scale (DuBois, 2006) - 5 items. modified some items and response scale for this study; 1 reversed scored item; mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores reflect more trust towards adults.
Measured: 12 months
Community connectedness
Youth reported measure; Whitlock, 2007; 5 items; modified the response scale for this study; 1 reversed scored item; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher community connectedness.
Measured: 12 months
Mattering
Youth reported measure; Sense of Mattering Scale (Rosenberg, 1981) - 5 items - modified items and response scale for this study; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher perceptions that youth matters to adults outside their family.
Measured: 12 months
Ethnic/racial identity (MIBI - T) - Private Regard
youth reported - Private Regard Subscale of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity- Teen (MIBI-T) - 3 items (Scottham, Sellers, \& Nguyen, 2008; Rivas-Drake, Hughes, \& Way, 2009); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect more positive perceptions about one's ethnic/racial group.
Measured: 12 months
Ethnic/racial identity (MIBI - T) - Public Regard
youth reported - o Public Regard Subscale of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity- Teen (MIBI-T) - 3 items (Scottham, Sellers, \& Nguyen, 2008; Rivas-Drake, Hughes, \& Way, 2009); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect more positive societal perceptions about one's ethnic/racial group.
Measured: 12 months
Ethnic identity (exploration)
youth reported - Ethnic Identity Scale - exploration subscale Brief - 2 items (Douglass \& Umaña-Taylor, 2015); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher engagement in activities that explore one's ethnic/racial group
Measured: 12 months
Ethnic identity (affirmation)
youth reported - affirmation subscale brief - 3 items (Douglass \& Umaña-Taylor, 2015); all items are reversed scored; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate higher affirmation about one's ethnic/racial group
Measured: 12 months
Coping efficacy with discrimination
youth reported - 3 items adapted for this study (Sandler et al., 2000; Sanchez et al., 2017); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate higher efficacy in coping with racial discrimination.
Measured: 12 months
Cultural Mistrust
Youth reported - Cultural Mistrust Inventory for Adolescents (Terrell \& Terrell, 1981) - cultural mistrust in interpersonal relationships subscale modified by Sanchez \& DuBois (2006) - 11 items; 5 reversed scored items; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate more cultural mistrust towards White people
Measured: 12 months
Secondary outcomes (24)
Bias Awareness
Mentor reported - Bias Awareness Scale (Perry et al., 2015) - 4 items - response scale was adapted; one item is reversed scored; mean scores range from 1 to 6; higher scores indicate higher awareness of bias.
Measured: 4 months
Social Justice interest
Mentor reported - Social Justice Interest subscale of the Social Issues Questionnaire (Miller et al., 2009) - 6 items - adapted for the current study to assess mentor's interest in engaging in social justice activities with their mentee; mean scores range from 1 to 9; higher scores indicate higher interest in engaging in social justice activities with mentees.
Measured: 4 months
Authentic self
Youth reported scale - Level of Adolescent Voice Scale (Harter, 2000) - with 13 items (3 were added by current investigators); 8 reversed scored items; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate that youth are able to be their authentic self around the mentors.
Measured: 12 months
Emotional Closeness - Mentor
Mentor reported scale - Match Characteristics Questionnaire - Closeness subscale - 5 items (Harris \& Nakkula (2004). Mean scores range between 1 and 6; higher scores reflect closer mentoring relationships.
Measured: 12 months
Emotional Closeness - Youth
youth reported scale - Relational Satisfaction Subscale (Harris \& Nakkula, 2004) - 6 items; mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores reflect closer mentoring relationships.
Measured: 12 months
Relationship satisfaction - mentor
Satisfaction Subscale of the Investment Model Scale - 5 items (Rusbult et al., 1997; see Drew et al., 2020); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate greater perceived mentee support-seeking behaviors.
Measured: 12 months
Relationship satisfaction - youth
Youth Report of Measure of Growth/Goal Focus in Youth Mentoring Relationships (DuBois, 2008) - 6 items; mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores reflect more growth/goal focus in mentoring relationship
Measured: 12 months
Mentor advocacy
mentor reported - Mentoring Processes Scale (MPS) - 6 items (Tolan et al., 2020); 1 reversed scored item; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate higher mentor advocacy for mentees.
Measured: 12 months
Support seeking
mentor reported - Mentee Support Seeking Scale - 4 items (Karcher et al., 2005); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate more mentee support-seeking behaviors perceived by mentors.
Measured: 12 months
Mentoring activities
Mentor reported - Adapted Activity Log - 4 items (Karcher et al., 2010); mean scores range from 1 to 5; higher scores reflect more frequent mentoring activities.
Measured: 12 months
Match duration
Duration of mentor-youth relationships gathered from case records; duration is reported in number of months.
Measured: 12 months
Academic performance
Youth self-reported grades for 4 subjects: math, reading, social studies and science. A through F scale
Measured: 12 months
Risky behaviors
Youth - behaviors that youth has gotten in trouble for in the last 3 months: substance use (4 items - adapted from Clasen, Brown, \& Eicher (1986), status offenses (3 items - created for this survey), school discipline (4 items - adapted from Vandell et al. (2013)); o In the past 3 months, I got in trouble or could have gotten in trouble for… Responses are a 3-point scale: 0 times, 1 or 2 times, 3 or more times (0 to 2 scale). Higher mean scores reflect more risky behaviors.
- In the past 3 months, I got in trouble or could have gotten in trouble for…Responses are a 3-point scale: 0 times, 1 or 2 times, 3 or more times.
Measured: 12 months
Bullying
Youth reported - In the past month, I got in trouble for or could have gotten in trouble for…adapted from Bosworth, Espelage, \& Simon (1999) and Dahlberg, Toal, \& Behrens (1998).
5 items - Responses are on 3 point scale (0 times, 1 or 2 times, 3 or more times; 0 to 2 scale); higher mean scores reflect more risky behaviors Responses are on 3 point scale (0 times, 1 or 2 times, 3 or more times)
Measured: 12 months
Police & Juvenile Justice Contact
Youth reported - "In the past 3 months, I:" Responses are on a 2-point scale (Yes = 1, No = 0); Higher sum score reflect more police and juvenile justice contact.
3 items
Measured: 12 months
Emotional regulation
Youth reported - Adapted from the Middle School Youth Survey, originally from Prior et al. (2000); Responses are on a 4-point scale (Not at all true, A little true, Mostly true, Totally true); Mean responses range from 1 to 4 with higher scores reflecting higher emotional regulation.
4 items
Measured: 12 months
Depressive symptoms
Youth reported - Taken from the Health Measures' PROMIS Pediatric Depressive Symptoms instrument (2013). Responses are on a 5-point scale (Never, Almost Never, Sometimes, Often, Almost Always); 2 reversed scored items; Mean responses range from 1 to 5 with higher scores reflecting more depressive symptoms 10 items
Measured: 12 months
Loneliness
youth reported - Loneliness Questionnaire-Short Version (Ebesutani et al., 2012) - 9 items; modified the response scale; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores mean higher loneliness.
Measured: 12 months
Hopeful future expectations
Youth reported - Abbreviated Version of the Hopeful Future Expectations (HFE) Scale (Callina et al., 2016) - adapted - 8 items; 1 reversed scored item; mean scores range between 1 and 5; higher scores mean more hopeful future.
Measured: 12 months
Critical reflection
Youth reported - Critical Reflection Subscale; Diemer et al., 2020) - 3 items; modified the response scale and excluded a survey item for this study; mean scores range between 1 to 4; higher scores mean higher level of critical analysis of socioeconomic and racial/ethnic inequalities.
Measured: 12 months
System Justification Scale
Youth reported - (Kay \& Jost, 2003) - 10 items - adapted the response scale for this study; mean scores range between 1 to 4; higher scores mean stronger beliefs that the world is a fair and just place.
Measured: 12 months
Adolescent Critical Consciousness
Youth reported - Critical Agency Subscale; Critical Behavior Subscale; McWhirter \& McWhirter, 2016) - 10 items; modified response scale for this study; mean score range between 1 to 4; higher scores mean higher critical agency and behavior.
Measured: 12 months
Growth mindset
Youth reported - Revised Implicit Theories of Intelligence (Self-Theory; DaCastella \& Byrne, 2015) Scale - 8 items; adapted the response scale for this study; mean scores range between 1 to 4; higher scores mean higher academic growth mindset
Measured: 12 months
Academic self efficacy
Youth reported - Academic Self-Efficacy Subscale-Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scale (Midgley et al., 2000) - 5 items; mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores mean higher academic self-efficacy.
Measured: 12 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted26 May 2022
- Study start16 Feb 2022
- Primary completion20 May 2025
- Study completion1 Jun 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for RacismStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to a cultural humility and social justice training and support intervention or to a control group for a period of one year.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 813 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Illinois at Chicago
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- William T. Grant Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Herrera Consulting Group, LLC
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Bernadette Sanchez, University of Illinois at Chicago
- Investigators
- Bernadette Sanchez, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Illinois at ChicagoDavid L DuBois, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Illinois at ChicagoCarla Herrera, PhD, Principal investigator, Herrera Consulting Group, LLC
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05391711
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2021-0495
- Other IDs
- 190902
- Acronym
- CSR
- Status last verified
- Aug 2025
- First submitted
- 21 May 2022
- Last updated
- 11 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
Sanchez B, Anderson AJ, Herrera C, DuBois DL, Bourke KT, Sack JK, Lee SJ, Burchwell K, Monjaras-Gaytan LY, Garcia-Murillo Y. The effectiveness of providing training and ongoing support to foster cultural humility in volunteers serving as mentors to youth of color: a mixed-methods study protocol. BMC Public Health. 2025 Jan 24;25(1):294. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-21508-x.
PubMed 39849441
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Evaluation of a Cultural Humility and Social Justice Training Program for Volunteer Mentors of Youth of Color
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05391711
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CSR / 2021-0495
- Conditions
- Racism
- Keywords
- mentoring, prevention
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 813 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Illinois at ChicagoUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- William T. Grant Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Herrera Consulting Group, LLC
- Study start
- 16 Feb 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 May 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Jun 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 26 May 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The aim of this study is to examine whether and how the provision of a cultural humility and social justice training and support program to volunteer mentors can change their interactions with youth, improve the effectiveness of programs and foster positive outcomes for low-income youth of color. Mentor-youth dyads (N=240) will be randomly assigned either to an intervention that includes cultural humility and social justice training and enhanced support or to a control group. Survey and interview data will be collected from a variety of sources, including mentors, youth, parents and case managers. Case records about mentor-youth dyads will also be collected.
Detailed description
The aim of this study is to examine whether and how the provision of a cultural humility and social justice training and support program to volunteer mentors can change their interactions with youth, improve the effectiveness of programs and foster positive outcomes for low-income youth of color. The study's specific aims are to investigate:
- The impact of a cultural humility and social justice training and supports for BBBS mentors of youth of color on:
- mentor's cultural humility and social justice knowledge, attitudes and approach to their mentoring relationships,
- the quality of the mentor-youth relationships, and
- youth's developmental outcomes
- The processes through which the intervention achieves the above effects.
The study is being conducted in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) and participants will be recruited from 7 BBBSA affiliates located in different regions of the U.S. Participants will include 240 mentor-youth dyads and their case managers and youth's parents. Youth will be low-income, youth of color between the ages of 9 and 17 years. Mentor-youth dyads will be randomly assigned either to an intervention that includes cultural humility and social justice trainings and enhanced support or to a control group (business as usual). Mentors will complete survey measures at baseline, 4 months and 12 months. Youth and case managers will complete survey measures at baseline and 12 months, while parents complete a baseline survey. Program case records will be examined as well. A subset of mentor-youth dyads (n=24) and their case managers and parents will participate in a qualitative longitudinal study. The qualitative methods will include two individual interviews of youth and mentors, a virtual dyadic interview of the mentoring dyad, interviews with parents and case managers as well as recorded supervisory contacts with mentors.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to a cultural humility and social justice training and support intervention or to a control group for a period of one year.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Culturally Smart Relationships | Experimental | Behavioral: Culturally Smart RelationshipsThe mentors assigned to this group will receive additional trainings and support related to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI). |
| Control Group | No intervention | –The mentors assigned to this group will NOT receive an intervention. They will receive the regular training activities that the agency provides. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 9 to 17 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- youth is between 9 and 17 years of age
- youth is eligible for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring (CBM) program as determined by initial assessment of program staff
- youth is a member of a racial/ethnic minority group, such as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American/Native Alaskan/Native Hawaiian, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern/North African or Arab American
- Parents of the above youth who are able to complete study measures in English or Spanish
- Mentors are eligible for the study if they are applying and accepted to the CBM program and are eventually matched with a youth who meet the study criteria above or currently in an existing match with a youth who meet eligibility criteria.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- anyone who doesn't meet the above inclusion criteria
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Culturally Smart RelationshipsMentors assigned to the intervention will receive the following trainings and support: 1. Online Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) trainings (self-paced) 2. Culturally Smart Relationships Training (live, virtual) 3. JEDI enhanced monthly supervision from case managers 4. Monthly emails with activity suggestions for mentors and youth | Behavioural | Culturally Smart Relationships |
Primary outcome
Cultural Humility
Time frame: 4 months
Mentor report - Empathic Feeling and Expression Subscale from Ethnocultural Empathy Scale (Wang et al., 2003) - 15 items - mean scores range from 1 to 6; 2 reversed scores items; higher scores reflect higher empathic feeling and expression
Self-efficacy beliefs for providing ethnic/racial support
Time frame: 12 months
Mentor report - 6-item scale (Anderson et al., 2018) - mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher self-efficacy
Self-efficacy beliefs for engaging in conversations about racial injustice
Time frame: 12 months
Mentor report - 4-item scale created for this study (Sánchez et al., 2021) - mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher self-efficacy
Perceived Knowledge
Time frame: 4 months
Mentor report - Adapted measure of Multicultural awareness, knowledge and skills scale (D'Andrea et al., 2003) - 13 items. Items were added and adapted to reflect the current intervention. Mean scores range from 1 to 4. Higher scores reflect higher perceived knowledge.
Colorblind racial attitudes
Time frame: 4 months
Mentor report - Unawareness of Racial Privilege subscale of the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS; Neville et al., 2000) - 7 items - Mean scores range from 1 to 6; 6 items are reverse scored; higher scores reflect more unawareness of racial privilege
Mentor support for ethnic/racial identity
Time frame: 12 months
Youth reported scale (Sanchez et al., 2018) - adapted for the current study and added 5 items for a total of 11 items - 1 reversed scored item; Mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate more support from mentors on youth's ethnic/racial identity.
Mentor support for coping with discrimination
Time frame: 12 months
Youth-reported 8-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021); 3 reversed scored items; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate more support from mentors on youth's coping with discrimination.
Youth-centered relationships
Time frame: 12 months
Youth reported - Youth Centered Relationships Subscale of Youth Survey - 5 items. Youth-reported scale; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate a more youth-centric mentoring relationship.
Activities and discussions on race and social justice issues - Mentor
Time frame: 12 months
Mentor reported - 11-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021). Mean scores range from 0 to 3; Higher scores indicate more frequent engagement in activities and discussions about race and social justice.
Activities and discussions on race and social justice issues - Youth
Time frame: 12 months
Youth reported - 11-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021). Mean scores range from 0 to 3; higher scores indicate more frequent engagement in activities and discussions about race and social justice.
Activities/discussions on racial/ethnic socialization
Time frame: 12 months
mentor reported - 6-item scale created for this study (Sanchez, Herrera, DuBois, \& Anderson, 2021). Mean scores range between 0 and 3. Higher scores reflect more frequent racial/ethnic socialization activities and discussions.
Mentor Attunement Scale
Time frame: 12 months
Mentor reported scale - 7 item scale(Pryce \& Deane, 2019). Mean scores range between 1 and 6. Higher scores reflect higher mentor attunement.
Mentor Attunement Scale - Youth Version
Time frame: 12 months
Youth reported scale - MAS-Y; Pryce \& Deane, 2019; 15 items. Mean scores range from 1 to 6; higher scores indicate higher mentor attunement.
Cultural clashes
Time frame: 12 months
Mentor Reported Challenges Scale - 3 items (Herrera et al., 2014); mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores reflect more cultural clashes in the relationship.
Openness to adult support
Time frame: 12 months
Youth reported - Interpersonal Trust Scale (DuBois, 2006) - 5 items. modified some items and response scale for this study; 1 reversed scored item; mean scores range between 1 and 4; higher scores reflect more trust towards adults.
Community connectedness
Time frame: 12 months
Youth reported measure; Whitlock, 2007; 5 items; modified the response scale for this study; 1 reversed scored item; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher community connectedness.
Mattering
Time frame: 12 months
Youth reported measure; Sense of Mattering Scale (Rosenberg, 1981) - 5 items - modified items and response scale for this study; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher perceptions that youth matters to adults outside their family.
Ethnic/racial identity (MIBI - T) - Private Regard
Time frame: 12 months
youth reported - Private Regard Subscale of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity- Teen (MIBI-T) - 3 items (Scottham, Sellers, \& Nguyen, 2008; Rivas-Drake, Hughes, \& Way, 2009); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect more positive perceptions about one's ethnic/racial group.
Ethnic/racial identity (MIBI - T) - Public Regard
Time frame: 12 months
youth reported - o Public Regard Subscale of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity- Teen (MIBI-T) - 3 items (Scottham, Sellers, \& Nguyen, 2008; Rivas-Drake, Hughes, \& Way, 2009); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect more positive societal perceptions about one's ethnic/racial group.
Ethnic identity (exploration)
Time frame: 12 months
youth reported - Ethnic Identity Scale - exploration subscale Brief - 2 items (Douglass \& Umaña-Taylor, 2015); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores reflect higher engagement in activities that explore one's ethnic/racial group
Ethnic identity (affirmation)
Time frame: 12 months
youth reported - affirmation subscale brief - 3 items (Douglass \& Umaña-Taylor, 2015); all items are reversed scored; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate higher affirmation about one's ethnic/racial group
Coping efficacy with discrimination
Time frame: 12 months
youth reported - 3 items adapted for this study (Sandler et al., 2000; Sanchez et al., 2017); mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate higher efficacy in coping with racial discrimination.
Cultural Mistrust
Time frame: 12 months
Youth reported - Cultural Mistrust Inventory for Adolescents (Terrell \& Terrell, 1981) - cultural mistrust in interpersonal relationships subscale modified by Sanchez \& DuBois (2006) - 11 items; 5 reversed scored items; mean scores range from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate more cultural mistrust towards White people
24 secondary outcomes
Bias Awareness
Time frame: 4 months
Social Justice interest
Time frame: 4 months
Authentic self
Time frame: 12 months
Emotional Closeness - Mentor
Time frame: 12 months
Emotional Closeness - Youth
Time frame: 12 months
Relationship satisfaction - mentor
Time frame: 12 months
Relationship satisfaction - youth
Time frame: 12 months
Mentor advocacy
Time frame: 12 months
Support seeking
Time frame: 12 months
Mentoring activities
Time frame: 12 months
Match duration
Time frame: 12 months
Academic performance
Time frame: 12 months
Risky behaviors
Time frame: 12 months
Bullying
Time frame: 12 months
Police & Juvenile Justice Contact
Time frame: 12 months
Emotional regulation
Time frame: 12 months
Depressive symptoms
Time frame: 12 months
Loneliness
Time frame: 12 months
Hopeful future expectations
Time frame: 12 months
Critical reflection
Time frame: 12 months
System Justification Scale
Time frame: 12 months
Adolescent Critical Consciousness
Time frame: 12 months
Growth mindset
Time frame: 12 months
Academic self efficacy
Time frame: 12 months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Jun 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 39849441Sanchez B, Anderson AJ, Herrera C, DuBois DL, Bourke KT, Sack JK, Lee SJ, Burchwell K, Monjaras-Gaytan LY, Garcia-Murillo Y. The effectiveness of providing training and ongoing support to foster cultural humility in volunteers serving as mentors to youth of color: a mixed-methods study protocol. BMC Public Health. 2025 Jan 24;25(1):294. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-21508-x.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Bernadette Sanchez, PhD principal investigator
University of Illinois at Chicago
David L DuBois, PhD principal investigator
University of Illinois at Chicago
Carla Herrera, PhD principal investigator
Herrera Consulting Group, LLC
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Culturally Smart Relationships in people with Racism, run by University of Illinois at Chicago at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Cultural Humility (time frame: 4 months). The study lists 23 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05391711, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Jun 2026.