Brian A. Collins

Teacher-Child Relationship and Behavior Problem Trajectories in Elementary School

The present study examined associations between the quality of teacher-child relationships and behavior problems among elementary school students using data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, a study of 1,364 children from birth through adolescence. There were two main findings. First, high-quality teacher-child relationships predicted low levels of externalizing behaviors. Second, high-quality relationships acted as protective factors, helping to prevent children with high levels of internalizing behaviors in early childhood from developing trajectories of long-term internalizing behavior problems. Teacher-child relationships may be proximal phenomena that can be targeted in interventions to help prevent behavior problems in middle childhood.

Behavior problems in late childhood: the roles of early maternal attachment and teacher-child relationship trajectories

The purposes of the current study were: (1) to examine the roles of early maternal attachment relationships and teacher–child relationships during childhood for externalizing and internalizing behaviors in late childhood, and (2) to investigate teacher–child relationships, as well as externalizing and internalizing behaviors in early childhood as possible mechanisms linking early maternal attachment relationships to behavior problems in late childhood. Longitudinal data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1140 mothers and children) were used in this investigation. There were three main findings. First, insecure/other maternal attachment relationships in early childhood (i.e., 36 months) were associated with externalizing and internalizing behaviors in late childhood (Grade 5). Second, elevated levels of teacher–child conflict during childhood were associated with externalizing behaviors in late childhood whereas low levels of teacher–child closeness were associated with internalizing behaviors. Third, the effects of insecure/other attachment on externalizing and internalizing behaviors in late childhood were mediated through teacher–child relationships during childhood and early externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Implications for attachment theory are discussed.

Language, Culture, and Adaptation in Immigrant Children

In this article the authors discuss first why it is crucial, from a clinical and public health perspective, to better understand the development as well as risk and protection processes for the mental health of immigrant children. The authors then shift focus to the main tenet of this article, namely, that specific aspects of the dual language development of immigrant children are highly relevant to their mental health and adaptation. This argument is illustrated with empirical studies on Latino immigrant children, as they represent the majority of immigrant children in America and as a way of exemplifying the risks and circumstances that are potentially shared by other immigrant groups. Finally, the authors conceptually differentiate dual language development and its mental health impact from the dual-culture (bicultural) development and circumstance of immigrant children and their mental health impact.

Cross-sectional associations of Spanish and English competence and well-being in Latino children of immigrants in kindergarten

Abstract The aim of this study is to examine within an ecological model the associations of dual language (Spanish/English) competences with the emotional and behavioral well-being of young children of immigrants in kindergarten. Latino children of immigrants (n = 228) from a public school-based community sample were assessed using standardized, comprehensive measures of Spanish and English oral language competence and normed teacher reports on five dimensions of emotional and behavioral well-being and school functioning (interpersonal, intrapersonal, and affective strengths, connection to family, and school functioning). Relevant contextual factors at home (maternal education, poverty, family structure) and school (teacher experience and practices, classroom composition), as well as child factors (non-verbal IQ, gender) were considered. Spanish and English competences accounted for moderate to large portions of variance in all dimensions of well-being. The contributions of child, home, and school variables to well-being were much smaller than language competence, and in most cases, not significant. Our findings suggest that dual language competence is critically associated with the emotional and behavioral well-being and school functioning of Latino children of immigrants.

Associations between child and teacher characteristics and quality of teacher–child relationships: the case of Hungary

The purpose of the current study was to investigate variations in teacher–child relationships in childcare classrooms in Budapest, Hungary (N = 172 children in 43 classrooms), and to examine whether variations were associated with child and/or teacher characteristics. In addition, cultural variation was examined with reference to an American comparison group (N = 36 children in nine classrooms). Teacher–child relationships were found to vary in the in levels of closeness, conflict and over-dependence. There was more variation within as opposed to between classrooms, indicating that child attributes play an important role in teacher–child relationships. Girls had better relationships with their teachers than boys, characterised by higher levels of closeness and lower levels of conflict. Higher levels of shyness were associated with more conflicted teacher–child relationships for boys, and less conflicted ones for girls. Teachers with higher levels of neuroticism and depression tended to report more conflicted relationships with children. Hungarian teachers reported more closeness in their relationships with younger children, whereas American teachers reported higher levels of relationship closeness with older children. Hungarian teachers reported higher levels of over-dependence of the children in their classrooms than did American teachers. Educational implications as well as limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Behavior problems in elementary school among low-income boys: The role of teacher–child relationships

ABSTRACT The authors identified trajectories of teacher–child relationship conflict and closeness from Grades 1 to 6, and associations between these trajectories and externalizing and internalizing behaviors at 11 years old among low-income, urban boys (N  =  262). There were three main findings. Nagin cluster analyses indicated five trajectories for conflict with all children evidencing increases in conflict, and four trajectories for closeness with all children demonstrating decreases in closeness. Trajectories with higher levels of conflict and lower levels of closeness were associated with higher levels of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems at 11 years old. Moreover, conflictual teacher–child relationships exacerbated the effects of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems in early childhood; children with conflictual teacher–child relationships had higher levels of behavior problems in middle childhood relative to children with low conflictual teacher–child relationships. Implications of targeting teacher–child relationships as interventions to help prevent behavior problems are discussed.