TY - JOUR
T1 - Longitudinal trends and year-to-year fluctuations in student–teacher conflict and closeness
T2 - Associations with aggressive behavior problems
AU - Lee, Phyllis
AU - Bierman, Karen L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was supported by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grants HD046064 and HD43763 and the Institute of Education Sciences grant R305B090007 . The views expressed in this article are ours and do not necessarily represent the granting agencies. Appreciation is expressed to the teachers, students, parents, and program personnel who served as partners in this project.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Society for the Study of School Psychology
PY - 2018/10
Y1 - 2018/10
N2 - Longitudinal research suggests that student–teacher relationships characterized by elevated (or increasing) conflict and low (or decreasing) closeness promote heightened aggression in elementary school. However, prior research has not explored fluctuations in the quality of student–teacher relationships across school years, which may also impact students. This study applied a new methodology to determine whether year-to-year fluctuations in student–teacher conflict or closeness also predicted increased student aggression. 154 children were followed from Head Start preschools through elementary school. Early elementary teachers (kindergarten through third grade) rated the quality of conflict and closeness with students. Fifth grade teachers rated student aggression. Regression analyses revealed that year-to-year fluctuations in student–teacher conflict, along with mean levels of student–teacher conflict, each made unique contributions to fifth grade aggression, controlling for baseline aggression. In addition, for students with low aggression at kindergarten entry, year-to-year fluctuations in student–teacher closeness predicted increased aggression. Possible mechanisms accounting for the detrimental effects of fluctuations in student–teacher relationship quality are discussed, along with implications for practice.
AB - Longitudinal research suggests that student–teacher relationships characterized by elevated (or increasing) conflict and low (or decreasing) closeness promote heightened aggression in elementary school. However, prior research has not explored fluctuations in the quality of student–teacher relationships across school years, which may also impact students. This study applied a new methodology to determine whether year-to-year fluctuations in student–teacher conflict or closeness also predicted increased student aggression. 154 children were followed from Head Start preschools through elementary school. Early elementary teachers (kindergarten through third grade) rated the quality of conflict and closeness with students. Fifth grade teachers rated student aggression. Regression analyses revealed that year-to-year fluctuations in student–teacher conflict, along with mean levels of student–teacher conflict, each made unique contributions to fifth grade aggression, controlling for baseline aggression. In addition, for students with low aggression at kindergarten entry, year-to-year fluctuations in student–teacher closeness predicted increased aggression. Possible mechanisms accounting for the detrimental effects of fluctuations in student–teacher relationship quality are discussed, along with implications for practice.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jsp.2018.06.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jsp.2018.06.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 30340698
AN - SCOPUS:85049339980
VL - 70
SP - 1
EP - 15
JO - Journal of School Psychology
JF - Journal of School Psychology
SN - 0022-4405
ER -