The role of peer mentoring program elements in promoting academic success and preventing student dropout in higher education: a systematic literature review

Peer mentoring programs have been implemented to address higher education institutions' demands for promoting academic success and preventing student dropout. However, it is still unclear what elements best contribute to their effectiveness. A systematic literature review on the peer mentoring programs' elements focused on promoting academic success and preventing dropout was conducted to understand better how to improve peer mentoring effectiveness in academia. Twenty-three studies were included and evaluated for quality. A thematic analysis was developed to report patterns in the elements of the included peer mentoring programs. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of formal peer mentoring programs where participation is voluntary, no financial incentives are provided, and faculty members are involved. Future research must ensure a more detailed description of the peer mentoring programs' elements and robust methodology quality. It is necessary to evaluate the mentoring program's effectiveness by considering mentor screening based on academic performance, matching characteristics, mentoring models, and program coordination feedback, in addition to analysing mentor training efficacy.