Perceptions of black and minoritised ethnic occupational therapists on mentoring: A survey.
Anita Atwal, Vimal Sriram, Elizabeth Anne McKay
PMID 40336589WHAT IT FOUND
Black and minoritised ethnic occupational therapists valued mentoring but found it hard to access mentors who shared their background.
They sought safe, confidential spaces to discuss racism and career barriers, with most saying a mentor from their own ethnic group was important.
Key findings
01Most participants considered having a Black and minoritised ethnic mentor extremely, very, or somewhat important, yet few had formally requested one from their employer.
02Participants identified confidentiality and a non-judgemental approach as the most frequently cited factors for effective mentoring.
03While most therapists reported positive mentoring outcomes, a minority felt they lacked a safe space at work to discuss difficult issues.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study used a small convenience sample of 54 participants, recruited primarily through specific affinity groups and social media, which may not represent the wider BME OT workforce. The survey was conducted during the post-pandemic recovery period, which may have influenced response rates and experiences. No participants were employed in research, third sector, or private healthcare settings, limiting generalisability to these sectors. As a self-report survey, findings reflect perceptions rather than objective measures of mentoring effectiveness or career outcomes.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Elizabeth Casson Trust. The authors declared no conflicts of interest related to the design, analysis, or writing of the manuscript. One author is affiliated with NIHR, but the views expressed are those of the authors.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that mentoring interventions based on these findings will objectively improve career outcomes or retention. This study reports perceptions from a small, self-selected group of therapists about what they valued in mentoring, not evidence that specific mentoring models cause these positive results.