Child temperament and trajectories of student-teacher relationships quality.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the associations between child temperament and trajectories of the three dimensions of the student-teacher relationship (Closeness, Conflict, and Dependency) during elementary school. Latent class growth analyses conducted among 744 French-Canadian students recruited between 2008 and 2010 (46.8% girls; Mage = 8.39; 90.9% White; 49.7% with externalizing behavior problems) revealed four Closeness trajectories and three Conflict trajectories, but no significant variability between children in mean levels of change in Dependency. Surgency-Extraversion and Effortful control were associated with specific trajectories of Closeness and Conflict. Effortful control was also associated with cross-sectional assessments of Dependency. These results suggest that temperament is a useful construct in understanding developmental patterns of the student-teacher relationship across the elementary school years.