Helma M. Y. Koomen

The Influence of Affective Teacher–Student Relationships on Students’ School Engagement and Achievement A Meta-Analytic Approach

A meta-analytic approach was used to investigate the associations between affective qualities of teacher–student relationships (TSRs) and students’ school engagement and achievement. Results were based on 99 studies, including students from preschool to high school. Separate analyses were conducted for positive relationships and engagement (k = 61 studies, N = 88,417 students), negative relationships and engagement (k = 18, N = 5,847), positive relationships and achievement (k = 61, N = 52,718), and negative relationships and achievement (k = 28, N = 18,944). Overall, associations of both positive and negative relationships with engagement were medium to large, whereas associations with achievement were small to medium. Some of these associations were weaker, but still statistically significant, after correction for methodological biases. Overall, stronger effects were found in the higher grades. Nevertheless, the effects of negative relationships were stronger in primary than in secondary school.

Teacher-child relationships from an attachment perspective

This special issue aims to prompt reflection on the mutual contribution of attachment theory, on the one hand, and teacher–child relationship research, on the other, by bringing together conceptual and empirical contributions taking an attachment perspective on teacher–child relationships. In this introductory article, we contend that the teacher can be regarded as an ad hoc attachment figure with a safe haven and secure base function, although for most children the relationship with the teacher is probably not an attachment bond. Furthermore, we explain how attachment theory and research: (1) shape the way in which “high quality” teacher–child relationships are conceptualized and operationalized; (2) highlight the importance of teacher sensitivity to childrens needs, as a central proximal determinant of relationship quality; (3) guide research hypotheses regarding the consequences of teacher–child relationship quality and the intervening mechanisms; and (4) inspire the development of interventions to improve teacher–child relationships.

Supporting teachers’ relationships with disruptive children: the potential of relationship-focused reflection

A relationship-focused reflection program (RFRP) was developed that targeted teachers’ mental representations of relationships with specific children. Relative effectiveness was examined in a randomized comparative trial with repeated measures. Thirty-two teachers were assigned to the RFRP or the comparison intervention directly aimed at teacher behavior. Per teacher, two children (N = 64) were selected with above-median levels of externalizing behavior. Multilevel growth modeling was used to explore intervention effects on teacher-reported Closeness and Conflict, and observed Teacher Sensitivity and Behavior Management Quality. Teaching Efficacy was included as a moderator. The RFRP yielded changes over time in closeness for about half of the teacher–child dyads. In addition, teachers with high efficacy beliefs were more likely to report declines in conflict than low-efficacy teachers. Lastly, significant increases were found in observed sensitivity. These effects were different from those found in the comparison condition and provided preliminary evidence for the potential of in-depth reflection on specific relationships to promote teacher–child relationships.

Teacher Self-Efficacy and Its Effects on Classroom Processes, Student Academic Adjustment, and Teacher Well-Being A Synthesis of 40 Years of Research

This study integrates 40 years of teacher self-efficacy (TSE) research to explore the consequences of TSE for the quality of classroom processes, students’ academic adjustment, and teachers’ psychological well-being. Via a criteria-based review approach, 165 eligible articles were included for analysis. Results suggest that TSE shows positive links with students’ academic adjustment, patterns of teacher behavior and practices related to classroom quality, and factors underlying teachers’ psychological well-being, including personal accomplishment, job satisfaction, and commitment. Negative associations were found between TSE and burnout factors. Last, a small number of studies indicated indirect effects between TSE and academic adjustment, through instructional support, and between TSE and psychological well-being, through classroom organization. Possible explanations for the findings and gaps in the measurement and analysis of TSE in the educational literature are discussed.

Are boys better off with male and girls with female teachers? A multilevel investigation of measurement invariance and gender match in teacher-student relationship quality

Although research consistently points to poorer teacher-student relationships for boys than girls, there are no studies that take into account the effects of teacher gender and control for possible measurement non-invariance across student and teacher gender. This study addressed both issues. The sample included 649 primary school teachers (182 men) and 1493 students (685 boys). Teachers completed a slightly adapted version of the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale. The results indicated limited measurement non-invariance in teacher reports. Female teachers reported better (i.e., more close, less conflictual, and less dependent) relationships with students than male teachers. In addition, both male and female teachers reported more conflictual relationships with boys than with girls, and female teachers also reported less close relationships with boys than with girls. The findings challenge societys presumption that male teachers have better relationships with boys than women teachers.

Teacher and observer views on student-teacher relationships: convergence across kindergarten and relations with student engagement

Most studies regarding the role of teacher-child relationships for childrens early school adjustment use only teacher ratings of relationship quality. The current study examines (a) the agreement between teacher and observer ratings, (b) whether similar patterns of relations with behavioral engagement are obtained across informants, and (c) which informant matters the most in the prediction of engagement. Teacher and observer ratings of teacher-child closeness, conflict, and dependency were gathered for a sample of 148 kindergartners and their teachers at three measurement occasions. Teacher and observer reports converged to a moderate degree but only when considering multiple occasions and ruling out occasion-specific variance. Although some relations with behavioral engagement were similar, only teacher ratings had unique, added value in this prediction.

Ethnic incongruence and the student-teacher relationship. The perspective of ethnic majority teachers

Among 36 ethnic-Dutch school teachers in the Netherlands, the present study examined the role of ethnic incongruence in perceived student-teacher relationship quality. Teachers rated their relationships with 59 Turkish-Dutch, 62 Moroccan-Dutch, and 109 ethnic-Dutch students attending grades 4 through 6 (M(age)=10.81 years, SD=1.05). On average, relationships were less favorable for the Moroccan-Dutch students only. However, the effects of ethnic incongruence were most pronounced among students with strong perceived inattention/hyperactivity and among teachers endorsing lower levels of multiculturalism (the view that different cultures deserve equal treatment). Results support the notion that ethnically incongruent relationships may be perceived as less favorable than ethnically congruent ones due to cultural misunderstandings and intergroup bias. Practical implications are discussed.

Language Development in the Early School Years: The Importance of Close Relationships with Teachers.

This longitudinal study examined developmental links between closeness in teacher-child relationships and childrens receptive language ability from the end of the preschool years into the early elementary years, while controlling for changes in peer interaction quality and child behavioral functioning. The sample included children and their parents and teachers (N = 4,983) participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) at ages 4-5, 6-7, and 8-9 years (3 waves). Teachers reported on levels of closeness in relationships with individual children. Independent assessments of receptive language were employed. Parents and teachers reported on peer interaction problems and child conduct problems. Results indicated reciprocal associations between close teacher-child relationships and receptive language development above and beyond associations with peer interaction quality and child behavioral functioning. However, the effects were only modest.

Teachers’ assessment of antisocial behavior in kindergarten : physical aggression and measurement bias across gender

A confirmatory factor analytic study was conducted to obtain evidence for physical aggression as a distinct construct of nonaggressive antisocial behavior in young children. Second, the authors investigated factorial invariance across gender. Teachers completed the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire (PBQ) for two independent samples of kindergartners (N = 487; N = 1,557). Behavior items were selected representing physically aggressive versus nonaggressive antisocial behavior. To obtain support for the two-factor model, the authors also examined associations with subtypes of internalizing behavior. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed that physical aggression constitutes a distinct construct from nonaggressive antisocial behavior for young children. In support of the model, differential associations with internalizing behavior and different outcomes with respect to gender differences were found. Factorial noninvariance across gender was found for physical aggression, and explanations for those gender differences are discussed.

Regulation of emotional security by children after entry to special and regular kindergarten classes.

In this paper early adaptation after childrens entry to kindergarten is conceptualized as a process of achieving emotional security. It was hypothesized that children adapt to school by means of security seeking from the teacher and behavioral inhibition. 30 normal children from regular classes and 36 children with a variety of problems, e.g., behavioral, emotional, and family problems, from special classes were rated by their teachers on the Inhibition Scale and Security Seeking Scale on 5 occasions during the first 3 mo. at school. By the end of this period teachers judged the intensity of behavior problems on the Internalizing Problem Scale and the Externalizing Problem Scale. Analysis showed that initial high scores on the Security Seeking Scale and Inhibition Scale decreased sharply during the first weeks, and that children from special classes scored consistently higher on the Security Seeking Scale and more variable on the Inhibition Scale than children from regular classes. Girls had higher scores than boys on both scales. Recent stress in the family as rated by the teacher was positively related to both scores on the Inhibition and Security Seeking Scales after entry. Finally, scores on the Security Seeking and Inhibition Scales over the first three months predicted scores on the Internalizing Problem Scale by the end of this period, especially for children in special classes. We conclude that understanding adaptation after school entry as a process of obtaining emotional security is productive, providing a means to link entry behavior to precursors and consequences.