Teacher–student relationships, psychological need satisfaction, and happiness among diverse students

Do We Belong? Examining the Associations Between Adolescents' Perceptions of School Belonging, Teacher Discrimination, Peer Prejudice and Suicide

In the USA, suicide is a leading cause of death for adolescents ages 12 to 18 (National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2019). Given the urgency of this public health crisis, this paper aims to explore the impact of a sense of school belonging and teacher-based discrimination and peer-based prejudice on suicidal ideation and attempts among Black youth. This secondary analysis used a sample of Black youth (N = 4229; Mage = 16) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescents to Adult Health data. Independent variables included a sense of school belonging, school-based teacher discrimination, and school-based peer prejudice; the dependent variable was suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The results of multinomial regression analyses revealed that as Black adolescents' sense of school belonging decreased, they were 35% more likely to be at risk for suicidal ideation and attempts. Findings from our study support the assertion that the school microsystem plays a substantial role in modifying the risk of suicidal behavior among Black youth.

Students' Inattention Symptoms and Psychological Need Satisfaction During the Secondary School Transition: The Protective Role of Teachers' Involvement

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the prospective relationship from student inattention symptoms to changes in their psychological need satisfaction (PNS) during their transition to secondary school. In doing so, it has explored whether this temporal association was moderated by teachers' involvement (TI).

METHOD

A sample of 688 students (46% male; M_age = 11.82) followed in Grade 6 and Secondary 1 was selected from a stratified random list.

RESULTS

Inattention symptoms predicted a decrease in autonomy and competence need satisfaction, after adjusting for gender, anxiety, aggression, and PNS at baseline. In addition, TI in Secondary 1 attenuated the association between inattention and autonomy need satisfaction decline. TI also predicted a smaller decrease in competence need satisfaction, over and above the contribution of inattention.

CONCLUSIONS

Results support the importance of TI in PNS of students who are struggling with inattention throughout a critical transition. Implications for educational practices and research are discussed.

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.

What makes a student feel vital? Links between teacher-student relatedness and teachers’ engaging messages

Recent studies suggest that teacher messages can affect students’ well-being. Using a multilevel, variable, and person-centred approach, this study aimed to identify profiles of students according to their teachers’ use of engaging messages and analyse the relation among these profiles and teacher-student relatedness and students’ subjective vitality. A total of 1209 students participated in the study. At the student-level, profile analysis indicated the existence of four different profiles: the few messages profile, the autonomous motivational appeals profile, the loss-framed messages profile, and the gain-framed messages profile. At the teacher level, profile analysis indicated the existence of two profiles: the variant and the invariant profiles. Results showed that overall, at both levels of analysis, teachers’ engaging messages related with teacher-student relatedness (either positively or negatively) with clear differences among profiles. Moreover, also at both levels of analysis, teacher-student relatedness related with students’ subjective vitality. Main findings and implications for practice are discussed.

Worry and fear during the COVID-19 epidemic normalization: Analyzing prevalence and risk factors among 182,991 high school students in China

It is worth paying attention to the level of worry and fear of students during the normalization of the epidemic. We conducted the cross-sectional study that included 182,991 high school students using an online survey to assess worry and fear levels and its influencing factors in three cities in Henan Province, China, from May 21 to May 27, 2021. Worry and fear levels were measured using a five-item Likert-type scale. Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors. Approximately 65.42% of students reported being high worry about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, and about 41.44% of students reported being high fear about the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition, compared with female, male had lower odds of suffering from a high worry, and compared with senior high school students, junior high school students were more likely to suffer from a high worry. Students lived in rural had highest odds increased likelihood of high worry. Similar results in fear levels. During the normalization period of the COVID-19 epidemic, many students have high levels of worry and fear. This study has implications for potential influencers of worry and fear levels in follow-up work.

Teacher-student relationships and adolescents' school satisfaction: Behavioural engagement as a mechanism of change

BACKGROUND

Teacher-student relationships have been linked to various aspects of students' school functioning, including social-emotional well-being in school, but the underlying mechanisms need more investigation.

AIMS

In this study, we analysed longitudinal data to test if students' classroom behavioural engagement was a potential mechanism of change that explained how teacher-student relationships affect student school satisfaction.

SAMPLE

We used an archival dataset with a sample of seventh graders (ages 11-14, M_age  = 12.7 year) in a middle school in the Southeastern United States.

METHODS

Adolescents completed self-report surveys across three waves over the course of 18 months.

RESULTS

Longitudinal structural equation modelling analyses revealed that teacher-student relationships were positively associated with positive classroom engagement behaviours and school satisfaction, respectively, at each time, and positive classroom behaviours at Time 2 fully mediated the longitudinal association between teacher-student relationships (Time 1) and school satisfaction (Time 3).

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, results suggested that fostering positive teacher-student relationships to increase students' positive classroom behaviours could be an effective pathway to promote students' satisfaction with school. The applications of the results in educators' and psychologists' work, such as consultation and trainings with teachers, are discussed.

Students’ motivation in biology lessons—can student autonomy reduce the gender gap?

When it comes to biology lessons in Germany, girls generally exhibit higher levels of self-determined motivation than boys. Previous research suggests that fostering student autonomy could be a way to effectively address this gender gap. To investigate gender-related effects in biology education, a sample of 303 sixth-grade students (Mage = 11.31 years, SDage = 0.58 years) participated in a 3-h teaching unit on harvest mice that was taught in either an autonomy-supportive or controlling manner. The results revealed a significant effect of the treatment on self-determined motivation, with the effect being stronger for the boys. In the treatment with controlling teaching behavior, gender-related differences in self-determined motivation became apparent. In contrast, the gender gap was mainly smaller in the treatment with autonomy-supportive teaching behavior. Thus, the results suggest that satisfying the need for autonomy appears to be an effective means to help bridge the gender gap in biology lessons.

Internalizing symptoms among Taiwanese adolescents in poverty: Longitudinal influences of neighborhood, family, and school

INTRODUCTION

Identifying specific contextual factors that contribute to the development of internalizing symptoms in adolescents in poverty is critical for prevention. This study examined the longitudinal effects of neighborhood disadvantage, family cohesion, and teacher-student relationship on adolescent internalizing symptoms from economically disadvantaged families.

METHODS

Participants were 1404 Taiwanese adolescents (49% female) in the nationally representative Taiwan database of children and youth in poverty. Youth were enrolled in the seventh, eighth, or ninth grades (Time 1; M_age  = 14.85, SD = 0.95) and completed biennial follow-up assessments 2 (Time 2; M_age  = 16.47, SD = 0.74) and 4 years after baseline (Time 3; M_age  = 18.21, SD = 0.70). Latent growth models examined longitudinal associations between contextual factors and internalizing symptoms over time.

RESULTS

Adolescents reported declines in neighborhood disadvantage and teacher-student relationship but increases in family cohesion over the 4 years. At baseline, greater neighborhood disadvantage was associated with higher levels of internalizing symptoms, whereas higher family cohesion was associated with lower levels of internalizing symptoms. Over time, an increase in family cohesion was associated with a decrease in internalizing symptoms.

CONCLUSION

This study provides empirical support that family cohesion plays a critical role in shaping the development of adolescent internalizing symptoms despite poverty. There was an increase in family cohesion from early to late adolescence among Taiwanese adolescents in poverty and such change was correlated with decreases in youth internalizing symptoms. Family cohesion may be a key target of prevention programs aiming to reduce internalizing symptoms for youth in poverty.

Social Connectedness in Physical Isolation: Online Teaching Practices That Support Under-Represented Undergraduate Students’ Feelings of Belonging and Engagement in STEM

The COVID-19 outbreak spurred unplanned closures and transitions to online classes. Physical environments that once fostered social interaction and community were rendered inactive. We conducted interviews and administered surveys to examine undergraduate STEM students’ feelings of belonging and engagement while in physical isolation, and identified online teaching modes associated with these feelings. Surveys from a racially diverse group of 43 undergraduate students at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) revealed that interactive synchronous instruction was positively associated with feelings of interest and belonging, particularly for students of color, while noninteractive instruction reduced social belonging, but was related to more cognitive engagement. Small group and one-on-one interviews with 23 of these students suggest that students derived feelings of connectedness from their instructors, peers, and prior experiences and relied on their sense of competency to motivate themselves in the course and feel a sense of belonging. Two embedded cases of students in physics classrooms are compared to highlight the range of student feelings of connectedness and competency during the lockdown. Findings reaffirm that social interaction tends to support belonging and engagement, particularly for under-represented (Black or African American and Hispanic) racial groups in STEM. STEM instructors who aim to support feelings of belonging and engagement in virtual learning environments should consider increasing opportunities for student–student and student–teacher interactions, as well as taking a flexible approach that validates and integrates student voice into instruction. Future research is needed to further explore the themes of relatedness and competency that emerged as aspects of course belonging.

Impact of a School-Based Multicomponent Positive Psychology Intervention on Adolescents' Time Attitudes: A Latent Transition Analysis

Time attitudes, which refer to positive and negative feelings towards the past, present, and future, are a salient phenomenon in the developmental stage of adolescence and have been related to better well-being. Positive feelings towards time can be promoted in the school setting through empirically validated positive psychology interventions. However, the extent to which these interventions impact the time attitudes of adolescents remains unknown. The current study investigated the influence of a multicomponent positive psychology intervention on adolescents’ transitions between time attitude profiles and how these transitions are related to their emotional, social, and psychological well-being. Participants consisted of 220 (M = 14.98; 47.3% female) adolescents from two Spanish high schools who participated in the six-week Get to Know Me+ program. Adolescents’ time attitudes and well-being were measured via the Adolescents and Adult Time Inventory–Time Attitudes and the Mental Health Continuum–Short Form, respectively, at pre- and postintervention. Participants were clustered in different profiles through a latent profile analysis, and the transitions were analyzed using a latent transition analysis. Five profiles were identified (negative, present/future negative, past negative, optimistic, and positive), and results indicated that adolescents who participated in the intervention were more likely to transition to positive profiles (optimistic and positive) and generally reported higher well-being, especially those in the negative, present/future negative, and optimistic profiles. Preliminary evidence showed that school-based multicomponent positive psychology interventions can have a positive impact on adolescents’ feelings towards time and well-being.

Fostering Students' Autonomy and Engagement in EFL Classroom Through Proximal Classroom Factors: Autonomy-Supportive Behaviors and Student-Teacher Relationships

Language learning achievement depends on student engagement which is at the center of attention these days. To assist students to become autonomous and independent learners, providing a social and supportive context is beneficial through autonomy-supportive and interaction. When learners are given the freedom to make choices about their education, they are likely to feel more enthusiastic and engaged. Moreover, learners' academic and social practices are largely influenced by educators, who play a major role as social agents and the function of the educators as the most dominant figures is the cornerstone of the language classroom. As there is a dearth of studies that have considered teachers and student interactions among all other effective issues and their significant effect on students' autonomy and engagement from the perspective of self-determination theory (autonomy support), the present review endeavors to focus on teacher-student interaction from the social perspective and their effects on student engagement in EFL classrooms. Subsequently, some implications are presented to elucidate the practice of teachers, students, teacher educators, materials developers.

The Effect of Teacher Caring Behavior and Teacher Praise on Students' Engagement in EFL Classrooms

The emergent respect for the prominence of engagement in the present education has made it one of the most widespread inquiry issues that it has been regarded as the ultimate target of learning. In the language teaching field, the idea of student activities for learning is intensely rooted in the prevailing standards of effective language learning, which considers language communication and interaction as analytical for language improvement. Moreover, teachers as center of learning process is the most prominent research attention, and teachers play a key role in regulating the education process as well as students’ learning achievement. However, there is an absence of research which have considered teachers’ care and praise among all positive interpersonal behavior and its significant effect on students’ engagement. So, the present review attempts to focus on teacher care and praise, and their effects on student engagement in EFL classrooms. Subsequently, some implications are presented to clarify the practice of teachers, students, teacher educators, and materials developers.

The relationship between school-basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration, academic engagement and academic achievement

The main purpose of this study is to investigate how students’ perceptions of need satisfaction and need frustration at school are indirectly associated with academic achievement through academic engagement. A modified version of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale was used to assess these needs in a school-based context. The study sample consisted of 551 students, comprising 299 males (54.3%) and 252 females (45.7%), with an average age of 16.19 years (SD = 1.49). The results suggested autonomy satisfaction and relatedness satisfaction are positively correlated with academic engagement, autonomy frustration is negatively correlated with academic engagement, and, moreover, academic engagement is associated with increased academic achievement. The results of this study highlight the importance of developing specific training programs to promote a school environment that pays attention to students’ psychological needs.

A comprehensive model of preschool through high school parent involvement with emphasis on the psychological facets

This article will review many forms of home-based parent involvement (e.g., shared reading; books at home; helping with homework; visiting museums; monitoring grades), parent beliefs (e.g., about the importance of school readiness skills; growth mindset for their children), parent expectations, parent-school relationships, and parent autonomy and relatedness support, which all promote achievement. The extent to which the psychological side of parent involvement promotes intrinsic motivation, engagement, and psychological wellbeing for children and adolescents around the world will also be examined. The forms of parent involvement that promote student expectations, student autonomous motivation, and academic engagement should receive more emphasis. In order to help parent involvement researchers, psychologists and educators, a pre-K through 12th grade parent involvement model is proposed. The psychological side of the parent involvement model can be readily memorized with the following acronym: Beliefs, Expectations, Autonomy Support, and Relationships (BEAR). Explanations are provided of how to apply BEAR in the schools and in future intervention research.

The Adolescent and Adult Time Inventory-Time Attitudes Scale: A Comprehensive Review and Meta-Analysis of Psychometric Studies

The exponential growth in studies demonstrating the utility of temporal psychology has been accompanied by many studies criticizing the psychometric properties of many of its assessment measures. The Adolescent (and Adult) Time Inventory-Time Attitudes Scale (AATI-TA) has been relatively immune to these criticisms. Given the increase in the use of this particular measure, we undertook a comprehensive review of studies assessing the psychometric validity and internal consistency of the AATI-TA. Computerized searches were conducted in Scopus, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases, with 19 manuscripts ultimately retained, and data from a total of 29 samples analyzed. Results revealed that at a broad level, these analyses supported both the psychometric validity, and internal consistency of AATI-TA scores, with some minor issues identified with the Future Negative dimension. Meta-regression analyses revealed some small-sized but significant effects for age, language, and location on RMSEA, alpha values, and mean scores. However, these did not survive the Benjamini-Hochberg correction. Observed heterogeneity among studies has implications for any future creation of scale norms. Future directions for research include an exploration of the readability and appropriateness of Future Negative items, temporal stability of scores, and more psychometric studies with adult samples.