The use of the term accompaniment has been gaining interest among sociologists, psychologists, and health professionals, among others (1–3). Educational accompaniment (EA) has also developed significantly, especially in the university context, with various modalities and forms of application (4–6). Previous reviews of educational accompaniment indicate the relevance of the topic, both theoretically and empirically, as well as the importance of conducting a scoping review to “advance the definition of a well-articulated theoretical conceptual framework and obtain evidence on educational outcomes” [(7), p. 234].

Accordingly, this article presents the conceptualizations, typologies, principal stakeholders, domains of application, and evidenced benefits of EA, as revealed through our scoping review. The search conducted focuses exclusively on the use of the term educational accompaniment, which limits the results obtained, although it constitutes a starting point for future research that will make it possible to relate the different concepts and types of EA even when this term is not used.

Etymologically, “accompaniment” denotes companionship—literally, the sharing of one’s bread with a fellow traveler (8–10). In Biblical Hebrew and Greek, the term for companion signifies one who “is with me,” implying mutual support (cf. Gn 2:20). The field of medicine—and healthcare more broadly—exemplifies this principle: healers are called to draw near to the sick, walk alongside them, and share their resources in solidarity (11). Likewise, educational accompaniment traces its roots to ancient pedagogical traditions: Pedagogy (from the Greek paideia) etymologically refers to someone who accompanies and guides students (12).

Educational accompaniment has undergone significant development in recent years, with applications across multiple domains, psychological, social, healthcare, educational, pedagogical, and spiritual, among others (13–16). Educational accompaniment has been implemented in formal education settings (schools and universities, including healthcare practitioners), in social education, and in the training of future teachers, healthcare professionals or physicians (17). Álvarez-Montero et al. (18) highlight the importance of educative accompaniment in promoting the integral development of medical students, especially in emotionally complex areas such as coping with death and grief.

The concept of educational accompaniment employed is closely related to that of personalized care and education (9, 19). Personalized education may be regarded as a broader construct than accompaniment. To personalize is not merely to adapt the educational process to the learner’s specific characteristics but to conduct it in collaboration with the individual (20), thereby contributing to their intellectual and personal perfection. Personalized education can be applied to different functions, not only to accompaniment, but also to instruction and assessment (or diagnosis), for example. However, it is in accompaniment where personalized education is most evident. Personalized education is an educational theory focused on learning processes and curriculum content. Accompaniment, on the other hand, is an activity, a relational action that may or may not be linked to personalized education. As will be seen later, there are various models or conceptualizations of accompaniment underpinned by different educational theories. In any case, accompaniment transcends the curricular level, focusing on the development of maturity, autonomy, and the individual’s sense of purpose in life.

Educational accompaniment (EA) is also employed as a pedagogical strategy intended to facilitate the teaching–learning process—whether for children, vulnerable adults, or healthcare workers. Additional objectives associated with EA include the full development and formation of the learner, as well as the support of autonomy and emancipation for individuals at risk of social exclusion or with disabilities.

The scoping review methodology does not aim to generate new empirical data but rather to appraise the information provided by the most relevant studies on the topic (21, 22). A scoping review enables a systematic synthesis of knowledge by identifying key concepts, theories, sources, and evidence (23).

The specific objectives (O) of this research on EA are as follows: (O1) to chart the temporal evolution of EA publications and their distribution by journal, author, and country; (O2) to analyze the principal definitions, theoretical models, and founding authors; (O3) to identify the research methodologies employed; (O4) to determine the types or modalities of accompaniment; (O5) to observe the domains in which it is applied; (O6) to identify who acts as accompanier and who as accompanied; (O7) to analyze the benefits; (O8) to highlight the difficulties; (O9) to determine the key elements; (O10) to identify the core competencies; (O11) to identify the principal research findings; (O12) to offer a forward-looking perspective on educational accompaniment.

The temporal evolution of the literature (O1) reflects a growing scholarly interest in EA. It is notable that the vast majority of authors and their institutional affiliations are based in Spain, with a smaller representation from Ibero-American countries. One explanatory factor may be the explicit recognition of accompaniment within Spanish legislation; particularly in the socio-educational domain (cf. Law 44/2007 of 13 December; Art. 30.3 of the LOMLOE of 3 May 2006). Another driver of interest, especially within Christian-inspired universities, stems from the magisterium of Pope Francis on this theme (63) and from personalist writers such as López Quintás (64), a disciple of Romano Guardini. The relative paucity of Anglo-Saxon research may be attributable to the preference for related terms, such as “mentoring,” “tutoring,” or “counseling,” rather than the more encompassing concept of accompaniment. Given that the selection criteria were limited to the use of the term accompaniment, works that use this concept under other names (e.g., mentoring) do not appear. Indeed, EA is a broader and richer construct, and one may anticipate that Anglophone scholars will increasingly adopt the term accompaniment. In any event, it should be recognized that EA subsumes methodologies such as mentoring and tutoring among others.

A key contribution of the present scoping review is the identification of four distinct theoretical models (O2), succinctly summarized in Table 3. Each model corresponds to particular domains and objectives and is associated with its own methodological orientation, as discussed below.

The four models apply to the fields of education and health. Although the evidence gathered in the literature is insufficient to identify the superiority of one model over another, there are some elements that indicate that the personalist model is recommended, even in the field of health. For example, the purpose or aim of the personalist model is broader and can include the purposes or objectives of the other models (health, excellence, autonomy). Likewise, the emphasis of the personalist model on the relational nature of human beings does not hinder but rather favors the pursuit of autonomy, the development of competencies, health, and the flourishing of the person. According to the personalist model, the educational act, like the medical act, is inherently ethical and intends the good of the person in its care (65).

Despite their divergences, these models share common features, which permit the formulation of an integrative definition of EA: an intentional educational action through which one person enlightens and supports another in their integral development, facilitating their autonomy, maturity, and realization of a fulfilling life.¹ This definition articulates three essential dimensions: (1) the nature of educational accompaniment (a purposive educational action implementable in various modalities); (2) its content or object (to illuminate and sustain another person’s development of capacities or competencies); and (3) its ultimate aim (maturity, autonomy, and a fulfilment of life). Moreover, it meets three criteria for a robust definition (66): (a) generality, capturing the concept at its most inclusive level without privileging or excluding specific applications; (b) empirical precision, reflecting how EA manifests in practice; and (c) clarity of boundaries, delineating what falls within its scope.

Regarding research methodologies (O3), qualitative methods emerge as the most frequently employed, followed by theoretical essays and, to a lesser extent, mixed methodologies. An analysis of the relationship between theoretical models and the methodologies utilized reveals a methodological alignment in accordance with the adopted model: authors working within personalist frameworks predominantly favor theoretical essays, while those aligned with socio-educational models primarily employ qualitative approaches. Meanwhile, authors drawing on competency-based and psychosocial models, though also inclined toward theoretical or qualitative methods, incorporate mixed methodologies that include quantitative components. This trend reflects the methodological preferences inherent to each paradigm’s approach to the object of study (67, 68).

With respect to the typology of accompaniment (O4), tutoring and mentoring emerge as the most extensively studied forms, examined across a variety of contexts. The existing body of research on these modalities offers significant potential for advancing the conceptual and practical development of educational accompaniment (44, 69).

In terms of educational settings (O5), the findings highlight a predominant focus on the social domain, followed by higher education and school education, with special education being the least addressed area.

Regarding the roles of the accompanier and the accompanied (O6), the teacher is the most frequently represented figure, followed by the social educator and the social worker. Other roles—such as parents, school administrators, counselors, educational accompaniment specialists, mediators, and students themselves—appear more sporadically. The findings support the notion that the role of accompanier can be effectively fulfilled within asymmetrical relationships, provided these foster the autonomy of the accompanied individual (70). As for the accompanied, students—across all educational levels and domains—constitute the most represented group, followed by individuals who are vulnerable or at risk of social exclusion, teachers, individuals with disabilities, and school-aged children.

Regarding the benefits of educational accompaniment (O7), the three most frequently cited are: (1) the promotion of the accompanied individual’s autonomy and social inclusion; (2) comprehensive education and the development of transversal competencies; and (3) employability, particularly within the context of psychosocial studies. A notable alignment is observed between the benefits attributed to educational accompaniment and those associated with educational coaching (71).

Several challenges associated with educational accompaniment (O8) have also been identified. These include the diversity and complexity of training needs, the lack of continuity and follow-up in the accompaniment process, the accompanier’s lack of motivation, and a mismatch between the needs of the accompanied and the support offered by the accompanier. Authors such as Burgess et al. (72) emphasize the importance of acknowledging that accompaniment is not always effective, and that challenges may arise due to unclear or misunderstood roles and responsibilities of both accompanier and accompanied, as well as ambiguous boundaries within the relationship.

With respect to key elements for effective accompaniment (O9), the literature highlights the primacy of the relationship between accompanier and accompanied over other factors such as training, planning, or experience. The significance of this relationship was already underscored by Rogers (57, 58).

Concerning the key competencies for effective accompaniment (O10), most of the reviewed studies point to relational and communicative competencies. Rodriguez Berrio (73) argues that relational competencies are essential for establishing trust, creating a safe environment, and fostering personal and social development. In this regard, accompaniment is understood as a process aimed primarily at “mobilizing the resources of the accompanied individual(s)” [(74), p. 42], a process that can only occur if a strong and supportive relationship is in place.

With regard to the main research findings on educational accompaniment (O11), it must be acknowledged that there are methodological limitations that hinder the generalization of results—an issue already highlighted in other systematic reviews, particularly those focused on mentoring. Nevertheless, existing evidence points to the positive impact of accompaniment on both personal and professional development (75). Specifically, accompaniment has been shown to foster personal growth and enhance the autonomy of the accompanied individual. The findings identified in this review concerning the effectiveness of educational accompaniment are consistent with studies on mentoring in healthcare contexts, where accompaniment has been associated with improvements in students’ internal locus of control and their ability to cope with stress proactively, regardless of the specific model of accompaniment employed (76, 77). Furthermore, the quality of the relationship between accompanier and accompanied has been demonstrated to exert a significant influence on student outcomes, including in healthcare settings (78).

Regarding future directions for improving educational accompaniment (O12), our findings align with those of González-Iglesias (79) and Domingo Benito et al. (80), who argue that effective accompaniment requires respect for the accompanied person’s freedom, circumstances, expectations, and personal history. Moreover, as noted by Sánchez and Dávila (81) and Rodrigo López et al. (82), appropriate accompaniment of adolescents necessitates strong coordination and collaborative efforts among stakeholders.

This study has conducted a scoping review of the academic literature on educational accompaniment (EA), compiling information on theoretical models as well as key findings. This provides a foundation for offering suggestions for future research.

A first conclusion is that the term “accompaniment” appears to be particularly associated with the Spanish and Latin American context. In the Anglophone sphere, specific forms of educational accompaniment, such as mentoring and tutoring, are extensively studied, but the term “accompaniment” itself is seldom used. The dissemination of “accompaniment” within Anglophone academia could be highly beneficial, both for enriching the theoretical framework available to English-speaking researchers and for enhancing the development of EA through the extensive research already conducted on mentoring and tutoring.

Secondly, four distinct models of EA have been identified (psychosocial, personalist, competence-based, and socio-educational) which together offer a comprehensive framework for understanding and comparing the diverse approaches within the field. The conceptual analysis also supports a definition of EA that can be applied across these models although the personalist model seems to be the most comprehensive and appropriate for educational accompaniment. We offer a definition, from a personalist perspective, compatible with the various models: educational accompaniment is the intentional educational act through which one person supports and enlightens another in the development of their capacities, with the aim of fostering maturity, autonomy, and a fulfilling life.

Thirdly, the reviewed studies indicate that EA, most often implemented by educators, has a positive impact on the accompanied individuals across various contexts. The relationship between accompanier and accompanied is both a necessary condition and a core competency for effective EA. Its main benefits include personal development and autonomy, integral formation, social inclusion, and employability.

Fourthly, several challenges to effective EA have been identified, including the diversity and complexity of the accompanied individual’s needs, and the necessity for continuity over time. Additionally, effective accompaniment requires proper training (especially for the accompanier), contextual adaptation, and coordination between the family and the educational institution.

Taken together, these findings suggest that EA is an emerging and significant field of study, and that further research will enhance its implementation across multiple domains, including healthcare. As future lines of research, it would be advisable to conduct comparative studies to evaluate the effectiveness of the models in clinical and educational contexts in the field of health, both in the training of healthcare professionals and in terms of the wellbeing and flourishing of patients. It is also advisable to research educational accompaniment as part of a model for the education of healthcare professionals during their university studies, including the virtues and competencies they need for their education and future professional practice (83).

Likewise, it is advisable to conduct systematic studies focused on the concept of educational accompaniment and not just on the term itself, in order to overcome the methodological limitation, we mentioned earlier. This will enable us to better relate the findings of this study, which is geographically focused on the Spanish-American sphere, to research in the Anglo-Saxon sphere that does not use the term accompaniment but does use the concept.