Hollingshead (1965). In addition, longitudinal research is the ideal way to study

developmental issues. Longitudinal research could examine ethnic identity development

across adolescence. Also, the formation of mentoring relationships, their quality and

duration as well as any influence they have on the adolescent's well-being could be

studied over time.

 Continued research related to the presence of natural mentors is definitely needed.

This area would benefit from qualitative research that explores the nature and quality of

mentoring relationships. Qualitative research would also improve the construct validity

of measures that could benefit from further development and validation. Also, a large

portion of the adolescents categorized their mentors as "other." In order to assess who

these mentors are, open-ended interview or survey items are necessary. Philip and

Hendry (2002) interviewed adolescents in Scotland and found intriguing results in

response to questions about natural mentors. The adolescents indicated that individual

peers (or best friends), peer groups, and adult-teen groups were all contexts in which they

obtained mentoring support. More research of this type is needed.

 Alternative or supplemental measures of ethnic identity could be utilized in future

studies. For example, the Hispanic participants did not score significantly differently

from the European American participants. However, Spanish language usage and level of

acculturation are aspects of ethnic identity that were not assessed. These specific issues

are not part of the MEIM, which is a generic measure that can be utilized for all ethnic

groups. More specific measures may be needed for certain subgroups. It is possible that

these factors are related to mental health. Also population divisions may even have to be

more specific (e.g., Cuban American) if the intent is to develop programs or to intervene

with specific sub-populations.