Examining peer relationships of young children in terms of teacher–child relationship

Abstract

ABSTRACT The main purpose of the study is to examine the peer relationships of young children in terms of teacher–children relationship. The participants of this study were composed of 99 Turkish children (between the ages of five and six). Sociometry Technique Based on Peer Nomination and Student–Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) were used. According to results, levels of teacher–child closeness predicted the levels of being liked by peers. Levels of teacher–child conflict and closeness, significantly predict levels of being disliked by peers. Levels of teacher–child conflict and dependency not predict levels of being liked by peers. Also, levels of teacher–child dependency not predict levels of being disliked by peers. In addition, the arithmetic means of children in this study for their social statuses differed based on closeness from teacher–child relationship variables. It was determined that the closeness mean scores of popular children with their teachers were higher than the rejected children.