The associations between social skills and teacher-child relationships: A longitudinal study among Chinese preschool children

Abstract

The current study explored the possible reciprocal associations between Chinese preschool children's social skills and teacher-child relationships by testing three cross-lagged models in 656 children: the child-driven model, the relationship-driven model, and the reciprocal model. These children were assessed at three time points during the 2nd and 3rd preschool years. Parents rated preschooler's social skills and teachers reported teacher-child relationships. The results showed that the child-driven effect was generally significant in the associations between teacher-child relationships and preschoolers' social skills. These findings contributed to the understanding of dynamic associations between teacher-child relationships and children's social skills during preschool years. Implications for educational practices were discussed followed by the limitations of the study.