Self-Worth as a Mediator and Moderator Between Teacher-Student Relationships and Student Engagement in Rural Schools.

Jiali Huang,Guoyuan Sang,Tzuyang Chao

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.777937

Abstract

This study examined how self-worth of students mediated and moderated their perceived positive teacher-student relationships and student engagement among middle-school students from rural China. Eighth graders (N = 838) completed surveys measuring their perceived relationships with teachers, their self-worth, and engagement. Statistical analyses revealed significant correlations among all three variables, with the strongest being between teacher-student relationships and student engagement. The structural equation modeling indicated that self-worth partially mediated the effect of teacher-student relationships on student engagement; however, positive teacher-student relationships were a stronger predictor. Multigroup analyses identified self-worth as a moderator, whereby students with lower self-worth were more reliant on positive teacher-student relationships to enhance their engagement. This study provides insights into how self-worth of students and their perceived positive teacher-student relationships influence their academic engagement in disadvantaged rural areas of China.

Highlights

According to Ryan et al (2013) and Skinner et al (2009), engagement of students in learning often decreases during the transition to middle school
Considering research findings indicating middle school as a significant period for dropping out in rural China (Yi et al, 2012; Shi et al, 2015), that the self-worth of students decreased among eighth graders in China (Zhang, 1997), that teacherstudent relationships decreased among middle school students (Gehlbach et al, 2012), and that the engagement of students decreased during middle school and was severe for students of low socioeconomic, minority, and immigrant backgrounds (Skinner et al, 2009), eighth graders were recruited as targeted participants in rural areas of China
The findings reported that an important component of student engagement experienced by individuals with positive teacher-student relationships might be due to their self-worth

Summary

Introduction

According to Ryan et al (2013) and Skinner et al (2009), engagement of students in learning often decreases during the transition to middle school. Students who live in impoverished rural regions are both geographically and academically distant from their urban counterparts, and they often face greater learning difficulties, higher dropout rates, and fewer higher education and career opportunities (Liu, 2019; Verkuyten et al, 2019). Students in rural areas are usually labeled with a weak academic ability, insufficient learning motivation, and limited achievement (Liu, 2019; Verkuyten et al, 2019). In this respect, in the context of collective stereotypes and representation, they might feel devalued in the eyes of others and internalize these negative stereotypes, develop low self-evaluation, and, in turn, decrease their self-worth and engagement in learning (Crocker, 1999; Crocker and Wolfe, 2001; Brey and Pauker, 2019)

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