A Prospective Investigation of Teacher Preference and Children's Perceptions of the Student-Teacher Relationship
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-1-2010
Department
Psychology
Abstract
This study investigated teacher preference, the degree to which a teacher Likes a specific student, as a predictor of students' perceptions of teacher preference as well as conflict and support in the student-teacher relationship. Child and teacher reports of teacher preference and child reports of conflict and support were provided in the fall and spring of one academic year. Participants included 1,104 fourth-grade students in 10 schools. Results indicated that teacher preference predicted change in children's perceived teacher preference. In addition, lower levels of teacher preference directly predicted higher subsequent levels of conflict, but not support. Because teacher preference and children's perceptions of teacher preference were related, lower levels of teacher preference also indirectly predicted higher levels of conflict and lower levels of support. Discussion focuses on the implications of the findings from a dyadic systems conceptualization of student-teacher relationships. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Publication Title
Psychology in the Schools
Volume
47
Issue
2
First Page
184
Last Page
192
Recommended Citation
Mercer, S. H.,
Derosier, M. E.
(2010). A Prospective Investigation of Teacher Preference and Children's Perceptions of the Student-Teacher Relationship. Psychology in the Schools, 47(2), 184-192.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/893