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on positive factors that may be associated with better mental health outcomes for

adolescents.

 Purpose

 The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between ethnic

identity, mentorship, and adolescent mental health from a nursing perspective. Multiple

factors in various domains are related to mental health functioning. This study

specifically addressed these individual and social factors and their relationship to mental

health functioning in middle-school students.

 Conceptual Framework-Neuman Systems Model

 The Neuman Systems Model provides a broad conceptual framework for research

that focuses on issues from health promotion and disease prevention to acute illness. It is

one of the most widely used nursing models. According to Neuman (1995), nursing can

be defined broadly to include "prevention as intervention" (p. 33). Neuman defined the

client as a system that could potentially be an individual, a family, a community, or even

a social problem. The emphasis in the model is on system stability or health. For this

research, the system under consideration is that of an individual adolescent; and system

stability is defined as the absence of the signs and symptoms of mental disorder.

 The client system is made up of several levels of protection from the onset of

illness (Neuman, 1995). The layers of protection are as follows:

* Flexible line of defense is an outer protective barrier to the client system that is
 called into action first in the face of environmental stressors. It protects the wellness
 or healthy state; and it can expand or contract based on changes in the system and the
 environment. In this study, the presence of a mentor or a high level of achieved ethnic
 identity may maintain mental health as evidenced by no adverse symptoms.

* Normal line of defense is the conceptual line that delineates and defines health. If
 the normal line of defense is penetrated, illness has occurred and adverse symptoms
 are present.