Teacher Support as a Protective Factor? The Role of Teacher Support for Reducing Disproportionality in Problematic Behavior at School

Abstract

This study investigated whether support from teachers could serve as a protective factor and reduce disproportionality in problematic behavior. Data from the CILS4EU project on 14-year-old European students were used ( N = 18,308). Students reported on their social background (parental resources, migrant background and adverse family risks), experiences of teacher support (academic and social) and problematic behavior (getting angry, acting impulsively and skipping classes). Multilevel regression analyses showed that students’ disadvantageous social background was associated with more problematic behavior. Teacher support had a beneficial effect: academic support from teachers was associated with less problematic behavior for almost all students, while social support reduced problematic behavior among students with low educated parents. Enhancing academic and social support from teachers could thus help reduce educational inequalities by protecting vulnerable students against negative behavioral outcomes.