Teacher well-being and sense of relatedness with students: Examining associations over one school term

Abstract

We examined teacher well-being (subjective vitality, behavioral engagement, and professional growth) at three timepoints across a school term, along with teachers’ sense of relatedness with students. Univariate latent growth curve modeling demonstrated significant declines in the well-being factors across the school term. Bivariate latent growth curve modeling demonstrated that higher initial levels of relatedness with students predicted steeper declines in subjective vitality and professional growth—however, teachers with higher initial relatedness still ended the term with similar or higher levels of vitality/growth. Teachers who declined more steeply in relatedness also declined more steeply on each of the three well-being factors.