Teacher-student Relationship Quality Research Articles

Does school context moderate longitudinal relations between teacher-reported self-efficacy and value for student engagement and teacher-student relationships from early until midcareer?

Teachers’ self-efficacy and value represent two central components of their motivation. However, there is a scarcity of knowledge regarding the relevance of value for teaching quality and student outcomes, as well as the extent to which interrelations depend on contextual resources and demands. Engaging students in their learning is an essential aspect of teachers’ work which should promote warm and positive relationships between them and their students. Not only teachers’ self-efficacy for student engagement, but also the value they attach to being able to engage students, should be important for teacher-student relationship quality. Using longitudinal structural equation models, we analyzed relations between self-efficacy and value for student engagement, reported teacher-student relationships, and the potential moderating roles of perceived excessive work demands and the resource of school belonging. Data from 395 Australian teachers in primary and secondary schools encompassed 3 timepoints from the end of teacher education, during teachers’ early career (average 3 years teaching), and midcareer (average 10 years teaching). Informed by social cognitive, expectancy-value and job demands-resources theories, key findings revealed that teachers’ reported relationships with their students at midcareer were predicted only at low levels of perceived excessive demands, by early career self-efficacy and early career value in interaction with self-efficacy. At midcareer, value associated with teacher-reported relationships with students only at low levels of excessive demands, and school belonging. Conversely, perceived teacher-student relationship in early career predicted teachers’ value for student engagement at midcareer. Implications for theory, teacher education and teachers’ professional practice are discussed.

The quality of early caregiving and teacher-student relationships in grade school independently predict adolescent academic achievement

Prior research has demonstrated that teacher-student relationships characterized by high levels of closeness and low levels of conflict are associated with higher levels of academic achievement among children. At the same time: (a) some research suggests that the quality of teacher-student relationships in part reflects the quality of early caregiving, and (b) the observed quality of early care by primary caregivers robustly predicts subsequent academic achievement. Given the potential for associations between teacher-student relationship quality and academic achievement to thus be confounded by the quality of early parenting experiences, the present study examined to what extent children’s experiences in early life with primary caregivers (i.e., ages 3 to 42 months) and relationships with teachers during grade school (i.e., Kindergarten to Grade 6) were uniquely associated with an objective assessment of academic achievement at age 16 years in a sample born into poverty (N = 267; 45% female; 65% White/non-Hispanic; 41% of mothers did not complete high school). Early maternal sensitivity, though a strong predictor of later academic achievement, was not reliably associated with either teacher-reports or interview-based assessments of teacher-student relationship quality in grade school. Nonetheless, early maternal sensitivity and teacher-student relationship quality were each uniquely associated with later academic achievement, above and beyond key demographic variables. Taken together, the present results highlight that the quality of children’s relationships with adults at home and at school independently, but not interactively, predicted later academic achievement in a high-risk sample.

Longitudinal Associations between Teacher-Student Relationships and Prosocial Behavior in Adolescence: The Mediating Role of Basic Need Satisfaction.

The quality of teacher-student relationships has been shown to relate to adolescents' prosocial behavior, but the motivational mechanisms underlying this association remained unclear. Based on relationships motivation theory (RMT), we examined whether the associations between teacher-student relationships (closeness and conflict) and prosocial behavior are bidirectional, and the mediating role of basic psychological need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness need satisfaction) in these links. Data were collected from a sample of 438 secondary school students who completed a survey at two-time points over eight months. The cross-lagged autoregressive model revealed that the relation between close teacher-student relationship and prosocial behavior was bidirectional over time. Moreover, relatedness need satisfaction mediated the positive effect of close teacher-student relationship and the negative effect of teacher-student relationship conflict on adolescents' prosocial behavior. This study highlights the importance of close teacher-student relationship and relatedness need satisfaction to foster adolescents' prosocial behavior.

Design of physical education teaching in colleges and universities based on emotional education under the environment of internet sharing information.

In the traditional teaching, the lack of emotional education for students leads to emotional indifference between teachers and students and low teaching quality. In this paper, from the perspective of emotional education. In college physical education teaching, information sharing through the Internet is compared with traditional education in terms of timeliness of communication, integrity of emotional education, teacher-student relationship, and teaching quality. The results show that the timeliness of communication has increased by 9.3%, the integrity of education has increased by 30%, and the relationship between teachers and students has also been significantly improved. In terms of teaching quality, students are more satisfied, and the teaching quality has also been improved. It also shows that emotional education in the Internet sharing information environment can better help students improve their learning, improve their learning efficiency, and learn better in happiness. Emotional education in a shared information environment can better enrich teaching content and enhance students' enthusiasm, which is of great significance.

Student–teacher relationship quality in students with learning disabilities and special educational needs

ABSTRACT Despite the clear importance of the student-teacher relationship, few studies have focused on children with special education needs (SEN) and learning disabilities (LD). The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of the student-teacher relationship and its effects on the behavior, work, and social and relational skills of students with any type of SEN and LD. The sample consisted of 320 children-55 with LD, 46 with SEN, and 219 in the control group and 40 teachers. The chi-square test showed that students with SEN were more disliked in the peer group. MANCOVAs controlling for student age revealed that the presence of SEN in students did not affect perceptions of the teacher-student relationship, but did affect emotional and hyperactive symptomatology and academic performance. Students with LD showed higher levels of emotional and hyperactive symptomatology compared to typically developing students. In addition, students with SEN showed higher levels of hyperactivity symptomatology compared to students with typical development. Students with typical development showed better academic performance in humanity and science compared to students with SEN, and better performance in science subjects than students with LD. Students with LD showed better academic performance in intellectual subjects compared to students with SEN.

Editorial: Student-teacher relationship quality research: Past, present and future

Editorial: Student-teacher relationship quality research: Past, present and future

Psychometric properties of a parent- and teacher-report measure for autistic children: Parent-Teacher Relationship Quality Scale (PTRQS)

Parent-teacher relationship (PTR) quality is linked to child and family-school functioning and may be especially important in the school adjustment of autistic children. However, measurement of PTR quality has been limited by inconsistency in the use of measures, a paucity of two-informant measurement, and limited psychometric consideration. We examined the psychometric properties of the Parent-Teacher Relationship Quality Scale (PTRQS), a parent- and teacher-report measure of PTR quality derived from multiple sources. Specifically, we examined the factor structure, reliability, and convergent validity of the PTRQS among parents and teachers of 192 autistic children in preschool to 2nd grade. Results supported a three-factor model, including (1) parent-perceived relationship quality, (2) teacher-perceived comfort with parent(s), and (3) teacher perceptions of parent abilities. Scores exhibited high internal consistency. As evidence of convergent validity, all three factors of PTR quality, as well as the total PTRQS score, were strongly associated with parent interview-based PTR quality, parent perceptions of teacher effectiveness, and teacher-rated parental school involvement. The two teacher-rated PTR quality factors were also associated with student-teacher relationship quality. Results indicated that (a) the measure can validly capture PTR quality in the context of preschool and early elementary-age autistic children, (b) early PTR quality is linked to parental involvement, and (c) teacher-rated PTR factors are linked to autistic students' own relationships with their teachers. The results have implications for researchers and school psychologists measuring PTR quality in their practice.

Teachers, loosen up! How teachers can trigger interpersonally cooperative behavior in students at risk of academic failure

Student cooperativeness underlies high quality teacher-student relationships, and has been positively associated with students' school engagement. Fostering cooperative rather than oppositional student behavior might be especially helpful for protecting at-risk students against academic failure. To understand how exactly students' cooperativeness can be fostered, we investigated the interpersonal behaviors of secondary school teachers and at-risk students during dyadic interactions (N = 82 dyads) in the context of positive teacher-student relationships. Using Continuous Assessment of Interpersonal Dynamics, moment-to-moment teacher and student behavior was captured in terms of interpersonal agency (dominance vs. submissiveness) and communion (opposition vs. cooperation). Time-series analyses were used to analyze interpersonal behavior within individuals, within dyads, and between dyads. Cooperative student behavior was most likely if teachers acted friendly and cooperatively and if teachers ‘loosened up’ their agency and the structure they imposed on the interaction repeatedly, which may give students more freedom to express themselves and to cooperate.

The effect of individual and classroom moral disengagement on antisocial behaviors in Colombian adolescents: A multilevel model

The present study examined the predictive effect of moral disengagement (within and between classrooms) on antisocial behaviors in Colombian adolescents, as well as the interaction of moral disengagement with classroom composition by age, socioeconomic status (SES), and perceived teacher–student relationship quality. Multilevel modeling was used to identify individual, compositional, and contextual effects on antisocial behaviors. The predictive variables were: (a) classroom mean score (i.e., between-classroom analysis), and (b) student deviation from the classroom mean score (i.e., within-classroom analysis). The sample included 879 students nested in 24 seventh-grade classrooms in three Colombian cities. The results showed that age, SES, and moral disengagement at the within-classroom level predicted antisocial behaviors. At the between-classroom level, antisocial behaviors were predicted by higher moral disengagement and lower aggregate SES. In addition, significant interactions were found between moral disengagement at the within-classroom level and SES at the between-classroom level. The findings expand our knowledge of the interdependence between individual and classroom contexts in the exercise of moral agency during adolescence.

“We can’t share things with our teachers”: Narratives of mistrust and disconnect between South African female learners and their teachers

The quality and nature of student-teacher relationships have implications outside of the academic domain. Support from teachers plays a significant protective role in the mental and emotional well-being of adolescents and young people, and can help to reduce or delay their engagement in risk behaviours, thereby decreasing negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes such as teenage pregnancy. Using the theory of teacher connectedness, an element of school connectedness, this research explores the narratives surrounding teacher-student relationships amongst South African adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and teachers. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 10 teachers, and 63 in-depth interviews and 24 focus group discussions with 237 AGYW aged 15-24 from five South African provinces characterised by high rates of HIV and teenage pregnancy amongst AGYW. Analysis of the data followed a thematic and collaborative approach, comprising coding, analytic memo-ing, and verification of emerging interpretations through discussion and participant feedback workshops. Findings related to perceptions of support and connectedness in teacher-student relationships centred around AGYW narratives of mistrust and a lack of support from teachers, and the consequential negative implications for academic performance and motivation to attend school, self-esteem, and mental health. Teachers' narratives centred around challenges providing support, feeling overwhelmed and incapable of fulfilling multiple roles. Findings provide valuable insight into student-teacher relationships in South Africa, their impact on educational attainment, and on the mental health and sexual and reproductive health of AGYW.

Impact of student-teacher relationship quality on classroom behavioral engagement for young students on the autism spectrum

BackgroundStudent academic behavioral engagement (BE) contributes to learning and school success. Student-teacher relationships (STRs) may promote BE, although previous findings regarding how these constructs are associated over time are mixed. For young autistic students who face barriers to early school success, a high-quality STR may serve as a key protective factor to promote classroom engagement. MethodsThe present study investigated connections between teacher-rated STR quality and student BE over two school years for 146 young autistic children (grade PK-2) using cross-lagged structural equation modeling. A full model with cross-lagged paths from BE to STR quality and from STR quality to BE was first examined. Potential confounding variables (i.e., externalizing behaviors, cognitive skills, and language skills) were included. The model was then trimmed by removing all non-significant paths. It was hypothesized that the final model would highlight the unidirectional influence of STR quality on BE. ResultsResults supported the unidirectional influence of STR quality on BE across one school year. STR quality at the beginning of the first school year predicted behavioral engagement at the end of the year (β =.26, p<.01) BE outcomes persisted into the following school year (β =.45, p<.001). ConclusionsFindings suggest that STR quality significantly contributes to engagement for young autistic students, potentially serving as a critical protective factor for classroom success. This highlights the importance of developing quality STRs with high levels of closeness and low levels of conflict for students on the spectrum in early schooling.

Teachers’ social self-efficacy: development and validation of a new scale

Teachers’ social self-efficacy is an important construct that has not been examined adequately in education yet. Developing a comprehensive understanding of teachers’ social self-efficacy requires measuring these beliefs in the social domain of teachers’ functioning. This study developed the Teachers’ Social Self-Efficacy Scale (TSSES) scale and investigated its psychometric properties in a total sample of 650 preschool teachers from Greece. Results from factor analysis revealed a bi-factor model underlying a global TSSE factor and five specific factors. Evidence of validity was obtained with the TSSES prediction on the closeness and conflict dimensions of teacher–student relationship quality. Findings showed that the TSSES can be considered as a valid and reliable instrument. Implications and directions for further research are discussed.

A Look at Race, Skin Tone, and High School Students’ Perceptions of Teacher–Student Relationship Quality

Racial disparities in education have put a spotlight on the role of teachers and the school environment that is created for students. As teachers are seen as a vital element of school climate, the interactions between teachers and students can have a significant effect on students’ success. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between race, skin tone, and teacher–student relationship (TSR) quality. Data drawn from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study included 995 ethnically and racially diverse adolescents. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that being Black, Hispanic, or Multi-racial was significantly associated with TSRs. However, there were no between-group differences in TSRs across racial categories. Skin tone was not a significant predictor of TSRs and did not moderate the relationship between race and TSRs. Findings raise important implications for teacher training and professional development focused on culturally relevant practices that support optimal student interactions and provide promising evidence for school connectedness as an intervening mechanism in improving TSR quality, particularly for students of color.

Linking teacher-student relationship quality and student group performance: A mediation model

We tested a mediation model of the influence of teacher-student relationship quality on student group performance in a higher-education context where a group-oriented learning approach is implemented. Specifically, we posit that the relationship between teacher-student relationship quality at the group level and group performance is mediated by positive affective group well-being and intragroup communication quality. Data were collected from 68 groups of students at four time points. The hypotheses involved in the proposed mediated model were tested by means of multiple regression. We controlled for group size and students’ initial familiarity with the other group members. All the analyses were conducted at the group level by means of the PROCESS macro for SPSS. The results obtained showed that teacher-student relationship quality has an indirect positive influence on group performance, mediated by positive affective group well-being and within-group communication quality. These findings help to understand how and why teacher-student relationship quality is related to student group performance.

Adolescents’ Family Socioeconomic Status, Teacher–Student Interactions, and Career Ambivalence/Adaptability: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

Using three-wave longitudinal data, this study tested the potential mediating roles of teacher–student relationship quality and teachers’ career support efficacy in the association between Chinese adolescents’ family socioeconomic status (SES) and career development ( N = 1410). Results showed that adolescents’ family SES at Wave 1 was negatively associated with their career ambivalence at Wave 3 via positive associations with both teacher–student relationship quality and teachers’ career support efficacy at Wave 2. Moreover, adolescents’ family SES at Wave 1 was positively related to career adaptability at Wave 3 via its positive association with teachers’ career support efficacy at Wave 2. This study highlighted the important role of teacher–student interaction in adolescents’ career development.

Teacher–student relationships and students’ self-efficacy beliefs. Rationale, validation and further potential of two instruments

ABSTRACT High quality of teacher–student relationships is widely recognized as fundamental part of good education. Moreover, students’ self-efficacy beliefs, or their confidence to succeed within different domains at school, are important impact factors to achievement. Although there is support for an association between student-perceived teacher–student relationship quality and students’ self-efficacy judgements, which mediates achievement, no tool explores this association. This article suggests that two instruments, respectively measuring students’ perceptions of teacher–student relationship quality (TSR) and student’s self-efficacy (SSE), can be used in parallel for a multifaceted exploration of individual students’ perception of TSR quality, in relationship to their self-efficacy. Two well-established instruments were adopted, validated and their factor structures re-confirmed in a Swedish sample, using data from students in five schools (n=382). Factor analysis showed that models with three underlying dimensions of TSR and four underlying dimensions of SSE were the most appropriate. All sub-scales showed good-to-excellent reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.75–0.94). Findings indicated a lack of multigroup invariance across gender and school level for the TSR-model. Substantial associations were found between student-perceived teacher support, and students’ self-efficacy for self-regulated learning and global academic success. We discuss utility and limitations, need of model improvement, and future potential.

Daytime Sleepiness and Prosocial Behaviors in Kindergarten: The Mediating Role of Student-Teacher Relationships Quality

High sleep quality is an important indicator of children’s development as well as their good health. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and prosocial behaviors in kindergarten-aged children, as well as exploring the possible mediating role of the teacher-student relationship underlying them. Participants included 60 teachers aged from 23 to 62 (M = 47.9, SD = 9.73) in Italy who completed the student-teacher relationship scale, the daytime sleepiness questionnaire, and the strength and difficulties questionnaire. The children who were rated by teachers were 936 kindergarten children aged from 3 to 6 (M = 4.20, SD = 0.91). The results showed that children’s daytime sleepiness significantly predicted all three dimensions of the student-teacher relationship. Specifically, children’s EDS negatively predicted closeness and positively predicted conflict and dependence, and furthermore, these three dimensions of the relationship significantly predicted children’s prosocial behaviors. For older children in our sample, their EDS was more significantly and positively associated with conflict in their relationship with teachers. Our data seem to support the importance of good teacher-student relationship quality in promoting a child’s positive social adjustment, especially in children with behavioral difficulties. Our data also suggest the importance of evaluating the quality of the student-teacher relationship as well as the sleep quality in the children’s daytime sleepiness.

Associations between Student–Teacher Relationship Quality, Class Climate, and Bullying Roles: A Bayesian Multilevel Multinomial Logit Analysis

ABSTRACT This study examined whether student–teacher relationship quality at the individual level and student–teacher relationship quality and peer climate at the class level were associated with being a bully, a victim, a bully/victim, or uninvolved in school bullying, controlling for gender, age, socioeconomic status and immigrant background at the individual level and socioeconomic status at the class level. Data from the Swedish Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey from 2017/2018 were analyzed. In the current study, a sample of 3,578 students from 213 school classes was included. The findings showed that student–teacher relationship quality at the individual level was associated with a lower probability of being a bully, a bully/victim, or a victim compared to being uninvolved. In addition, class climate at the class level was associated with a lower probability of being a bully/victim or a victim compared to being uninvolved. Supportive class climate and student–teacher relationship is thus important dimensions to focus on in the everyday bullying prevention in school.

An Examination of the Associations Among Teacher Secondary Traumatic Stress, Teacher–Student Relationship Quality, and Student Socio-Emotional Functioning

An Examination of the Associations Among Teacher Secondary Traumatic Stress, Teacher–Student Relationship Quality, and Student Socio-Emotional Functioning

Children’s drawings of student-teacher relationship quality: examining change over the first year of school.

ABSTRACT The relationships students form with their teachers are critical to children's early school adjustment and later school success. While previous research has relied on teachers' single-point ratings of student-teacher relationship (STR) quality, this study included data provided by children and teachers at two time-points in the kindergarten year. Children's drawings of themselves and their teacher were coded using Fury, Carlson, and Sroufe's (1997) attachment-based scoring of Relational Negativity. Children's feelings about their teacher were rated on the School Feelings Questionnaire (Bowes et al., 2009). Teachers completed the Student Teacher Relationship Scale (Pianta, 2001) and Teacher Rating Scale of School Adjustment (Birch & Ladd, 1997). Results showed that Relational Negativity at the start of school aligned with teachers' STR ratings, but by the end of the year, children's and teachers' ratings had diverged. Children were twice as likely as teachers to express increased negativity. Possible explanations for different perceptions of STR are proposed.