Adolescents\u2019 profiles based on student agency and teacher autonomy support: does interpersonal justice matter?

Valentina Grazia,Luisa Molinari,Consuelo Mameli

doi:10.1007/s10212-020-00504-2

Valentina Grazia, Luisa Molinari + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-020-00504-2

Copy DOI

Abstract

In this study, we adopted a person-oriented approach to (a) identify latent profiles of adolescents characterized by unique patterns of perceived teacher autonomy support and student agency, (b) investigate whether perceived interpersonal justice can predict profile membership and (c) compare different profiles in relation to personal responsibility. Participants were 545 Italian secondary school students (55% boys, 94% born in Italy, Mage = 14.24, SDage = .53). Five adolescents’ profiles emerged: disengaged (24%), average students (34%) and committed (28%), with low, mean and high scores, respectively, in both teacher autonomy support and agency; resistant (5%), with low scores in teacher autonomy support and high scores in agency; compliant (9%), with high scores in teacher autonomy support and low scores in agency. Perceptions of interpersonal justice significantly predicted profile membership in the comparison of almost all profiles. Several significant differences in responsibility among profiles also emerged. Implications of the findings for practices and policies are discussed.

Highlights

In this study, we adopted a person-oriented approach to (a) identify latent profiles of adolescents characterized by unique patterns of perceived teacher autonomy support and student agency, (b) investigate whether perceived interpersonal justice can predict profile membership and (c) compare different profiles in relation to personal responsibility
We investigate student agency in association with teacher autonomy support (Matos et al 2018) and examine whether the feeling of being treated fairly by teachers has an effect on both these dimensions (Assor et al 2005)
We investigated whether perceived interpersonal justice predicted membership of these profiles and eventually tracked adolescents belonging to different profiles in relation to the feelings of being personally responsible for their learning

Summary

Introduction

We adopted a person-oriented approach to (a) identify latent profiles of adolescents characterized by unique patterns of perceived teacher autonomy support and student agency, (b) investigate whether perceived interpersonal justice can predict profile membership and (c) compare different profiles in relation to personal responsibility. Teachers can encourage—or can refrain from encouraging—students to share their point of view on a subject, value their opinions, interests, original ideas or requests, recognize students’ discontent and accept alternative proposals Through their various actions in response to student agency, teachers engage in dynamic exchanges that may support or on the contrary confine the students’ need for autonomy (Núñez and León 2015). This interactional dynamic is important for adolescents, who are involved in the developmental task of gaining autonomy from adults that is typical of the second individuation/separation process (Blos 1967). Teacher autonomy support is adaptive to this task, because when students perceive autonomy support, they feel low pressure to behave in a specific way and high encouragement to be themselves (Núñez and León 2015), conditions that are important for identity formation (Adams et al 1992)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion