The effect of parental psychological control on children's peer interactions in China: the moderating role of teachers' emotional support

Background

Peer interactions are critical to young children's social development, and proximal-system has a direct influence on personal growth. The study aims to analyze the relationship between parental psychological control and young children's peer interactions, as well as the moderating role of teachers' emotional support in this association.

Methods

A total of 241 children aged 3-6 years, alongside their parents, and 27 teachers, participated in the study. Teachers reported children's peer interactions whilst parents reported their psychological control. The level of teachers' emotional support was co-coded by two researchers.

Results

The results of the study indicated that parental psychological control was significantly and negatively related to young children's peer interactions; teachers' emotional support was significantly and positively related to young children's peer interactions; the cross-level moderating effect validates our hypothesis that teachers' emotional support has a moderating effect between parental psychological control and young children's peer interactions, buffering the impact of parental psychological control on young children's peer interactions.

Conclusion

These findings expand our comprehension of the association between parental psychological control, teachers' emotional support, and young children's peer interactions, and provide guidance for integrating the components of the proximal system and devising interventions to establish a home-school harmony environment that fosters children's social development.

Psychological wellbeing in Chinese university students: insights into the influences of academic self-concept, teacher support, and student engagement

Objective

This study investigates the complex interplay between academic self-concept, teacher support, student engagement, and psychological wellbeing among Chinese university students. We aimed to elucidate the mediating role of student engagement in these relationships.

Methods

A sample of 597 Chinese undergraduate students from diverse universities participated in the study. We employed structured questionnaires to assess academic self-concept, teacher support, student engagement, and psychological wellbeing. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling were used to test our hypothesized model.

Results

Structural equation modeling indicated that the partial mediation model, which considered both direct and indirect effects, outperformed full mediation and direct effect models. Student engagement significantly mediated the relationships between academic self-concept, teacher support, and psychological wellbeing. Importantly, teacher support demonstrated a direct impact on psychological wellbeing, even when accounting for the mediating role of student engagement.

Conclusion

This study underscores the pivotal role of student engagement as a mediator in the relationship between academic self-concept, teacher support, and psychological wellbeing among Chinese university students. While student engagement plays a substantial mediating role, our findings also recognize the persistent direct influence of teacher support on psychological wellbeing. These insights have implications for educators and policymakers aiming to enhance the wellbeing of university students by fostering positive academic self-concept and teacher support while recognizing the importance of student engagement.

Academic self-efficacy, grit, and teacher support as predictors of psychological well-being of Chinese EFL students

Introduction

This study explores the determinants of psychological well-being among 968 Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students by employing structural equation modeling (SEM). Focusing on academic self-efficacy, grit, and teacher support, this research aims to illuminate their roles in shaping the psychological well-being of EFL students within the Chinese educational context.

Methods

Data from a robust sample of Chinese EFL students were analyzed using SEM techniques to investigate the relationships between academic self-efficacy, grit, teacher support, and psychological well-being. Validated instruments were utilized to measure these constructs, ensuring accuracy and reliability. The study employed meticulous data collection procedures over a three-month period, maintaining strict ethical standards and anonymity for participants.

Results

The SEM analysis revealed intricate connections among academic self-efficacy, grit, teacher support, and the psychological well-being of Chinese EFL students. Academic self-efficacy and grit emerged as direct predictors of psychological well-being, highlighting their significance in fostering students' overall well-being. Additionally, teacher support was identified to play a mediating role in this relationship, emphasizing its critical influence on enhancing academic self-efficacy and grit, thereby contributing to students' psychological well-being.

Discussion

These findings underscore the crucial importance of nurturing academic self-efficacy and grit to enhance the psychological well-being of Chinese EFL students. Furthermore, teacher support stands out as a pivotal factor in elevating students' academic self-efficacy and grit, emphasizing the need for educational interventions centered on fostering these attributes among Chinese EFL learners. The implications of these results extend to educational practices, emphasizing the indispensable role of teacher support and interventions aimed at cultivating academic self-efficacy and grit to promote the psychological well-being of EFL students within the learning environment.

Effect of School Bullying on Students' Peer Cooperation: A Moderated Mediation Model

BACKGROUND

Studies show that cooperative environments enhance student performance. However, school bullying can significantly undermine peer cooperation. There is limited research on how school bullying impacts peer cooperation and the mechanisms involved.

METHODS

Using data from 15-year-old middle school students in four Chinese provinces and cities, as part of the 2018 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), this study employs a moderated mediation model. It examines the negative effects of school bullying on peer cooperation, the mediating role of school belonging, and the moderating effects of teacher support and parents' support.

RESULTS

School bullying negatively impacts peer cooperation. School belonging partially mediates this relationship. Teacher support moderates the effect of school bullying on school belonging, which in turn affects peer cooperation. Parents' support moderates the direct impact of school bullying on peer cooperation.

CONCLUSION

School bullying reduces peer cooperation by diminishing students' sense of belonging in school. This effect is lessened with increased support from teachers and parents. The findings suggest that while social support is beneficial, it must be balanced and not excessive.

Mediation of self-concept and moderation of teacher support between SES and reading achievement: Evidence from China and the United States

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic status (SES) is important in students' reading development. The mechanism of how they are linked, however, is underexplored.

AIMS

This research aimed to explore whether reading self-concept mediates the link between SES and reading achievement and whether teacher support moderates the direct and indirect link between SES and reading achievement.

SAMPLES

Using PISA 2018 database, we selected 17,346 15-year-olds from 537 schools in B-S-J-Z (China) and the United States (U.S.).

METHODS

Multilevel linear models were calculated to explore the potential mediation of self-concept and the potential moderation of teacher support between SES and reading achievement.

RESULTS

Results reveal that reading self-concept mediated the link between SES and reading achievement at student level both in China and the United States, and teacher support moderated the link between SES and reading self-concept both at student level and school level only in China, but not in the United States.

CONCLUSION

Our research highlights the importance of self-concept and teacher support in improving students' reading achievement, especially for students of low SES, which has important theoretical significance and practical enlightenment for reading instruction.

Intergenerational Transmission of Psychological Flexibility: The Mediating Role of Parenting Style and the Moderating Role of Teacher Support

In this study, parents' psychological flexibility scale, children's psychological flexibility scale, parenting style scale and teacher support scale were used to explore the intergenerational transmission mechanism of psychological flexibility. The results showed that: (1) parents' psychological flexibility significantly predicted children's psychological flexibility; (2) authoritative parenting style and authoritarian parenting style partially mediated the relationship between parents' psychological flexibility and children's psychological flexibility; (3) Teacher support not only moderated the effect of authoritative and authoritarian parenting on children's psychological flexibility, but also moderated the mediating effect of authoritative and authoritarian parenting style between parents' psychological flexibility and children's psychological flexibility.

Teacher Support, Academic Self-Efficacy, Student Engagement, and Academic Achievement in Emergency Online Learning

With a sample of 651 university students experiencing emergency online learning during COVID-19, this study constructed a structural equation modelling to examine the effects of teacher support on students' academic achievement, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of academic self-efficacy and student engagement. The results show that teacher support had significant total influences on university students' academic achievement. Furthermore, academic self-efficacy and student engagement, respectively, mediated the effects of teacher support on students' academic achievement. In addition, academic self-efficacy and student engagement sequentially mediated the effects of teacher support on students' academic achievement. Research implications are also discussed.

Exploring the relationships among art therapy students' burnout, practicum stress, and teacher support

Introduction

This study examines how teacher support and practicum stress affect art therapy graduate students' burnout.

Methods

A total of 125 master's and doctoral students from art therapy graduate schools in Korea participated in the study. We conducted a correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis to explore the relationship between the variables.

Results

The correlation analysis results showed that burnout, practicum stress, and social support are significantly interrelated. The regression analysis results indicated that practicum stress increases burnout while social support decreases it. When we used the sub-factors of social support as independent variables, we found that professor support rather than the support of colleagues or family significantly reduced burnout. When we divided the perceived teacher support into emotional support and academic support, our analysis identified that academic support was more important than emotional support to reduce students' burnout.

Conclusion

Art therapy students' practicum stress can cause psychological burnout, while teacher support-especially academic support-can lower the possibility of experiencing such burnout.

The relationship between teacher support and positive emotions in Chinese higher vocational students: multiple mediating effects of procrastination behavior and interpersonal assistance

Background

In China, more than 5 million students enter higher vocational colleges each year, and the positive emotions of their students merits much attention.

Purpose

This study aimed to explore the effect of teacher support on positive emotions among higher vocational students by further investigating the mediating role of procrastination behavior and interpersonal assistance.

Methods

A questionnaire survey was conducted with 676 higher vocational students from Zhejiang Province, China. We used SPSS 26.0 for data analysis, which included correlation analysis, regression analysis and bootstrap-mediated effects tests.

Results

Teacher support positively predicted positive emotions (β = 0.302, p < 0.001) and interpersonal assistance (β = 0.170, p < 0.001), while procrastination behavior negatively predicted interpersonal assistance (β = -0.161, p < 0.001) and positive emotions (β = -0.088, p < 0.01). Interpersonal assistance positively predicted positive emotions (β = 0.279, p < 0.001). This study found that teacher support positively predicted positive emotions; either procrastination behavior or interpersonal assistance independently mediated the relationship between teacher support and positive emotions. These two variables (procrastination and interpersonal assistance) also acted as a chain mediator between teacher support and positive emotions. The direct effect of teacher support and the mediating role of interpersonal assistance had a greater effect.

Conclusion

The study deeply explored the effects of teacher support on positive emotions among Chinese higher vocational students and found that teacher support plays an important role in positive emotion management. At the same time, we found the key roles played by procrastination behavior and interpersonal assistance between teacher support and positive emotion, which could provide data support and decision-making reference for enhancing higher education students' well-being and positive emotions. This study can be regarded as a case study of social support theory and demonstrates the applicability of the theory in the field of positive emotions of higher vocational students.

Enhancing Chinese students' academic engagement: the effect of teacher support and teacher-student rapport

Academic engagement plays an undeniable role in students' leaning outcome. Therefore, identifying the influential antecedents of promoting students' academic engagement is extremely crucial. Despite previous empirical studies have delved into the part played by several student-related and teacher-related factors in triggering Chinese students' academic engagement, the exploration on the roles of teacher support and teacher-student rapport is still scant. Thus, this study attempts to concentrate on the influence of teacher support and teacher-student rapport on undergraduate students' academic engagement in China. Three scales of the questionnaire-one each for teacher's support, student-teacher rapport, and the level of academic engagement-were completed by a total of 298 undergraduate students. Spearman Rho test was adopted to detect the correlations between the variables. Following that, multiple regression analysis was used to estimate the predictive power of the dependent variables. The result found that teacher support and teacher-student rapport exert a tremendous influence on boosting Chinese students' academic engagement. The leading implications and future directions are also presented.

Which is more predictive: Domain- or task-specific self-efficacy in teaching and outcomes?

BACKGROUND

Students' academic performance and learning experiences are crucial in school education, yet their relationships with instructional characteristics remain an open question.

AIMS

The present study examined how cognitive activation and teacher support were associated with students' academic emotions and achievement in math classrooms via domain- and task-specific self-efficacy.

SAMPLE

In total, 5388 eighth graders from central China participated in this study.

METHODS

Cognitive activation, teacher support, math-related enjoyment and anxiety, and domain- and task-specific self-efficacy were measured with self-reported student questionnaires. The math achievement was measured with a standardized test.

RESULTS

Our findings showed that the two instructional characteristics were positively related to math achievement and enjoyment but negatively related to math anxiety, with the mediation effects of task- and domain-specific self-efficacy. In detail, cognitive activation had a stronger relationship with math anxiety through task-specific self-efficacy than domain-specific self-efficacy. Whereas, cognitive activation had a greater linkage with math enjoyment through domain-specific self-efficacy than task-specific self-efficacy. In addition, teacher support had a greater association with learning outcomes through domain-specific self-efficacy than task-specific self-efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

The relational mechanism of cognitive activation and teacher support on math achievement and academic emotions were differentially mediated by task- and domain-specific self-efficacy in Chinese math classrooms.

School climate and left-behind children's achievement motivation: The mediating role of learning adaptability and the moderating role of teacher support

School climate has been reported to have an important impact on children's achievement motivation, but the mechanism for the impact of school climate on left-behind children has not been fully explored. The purpose of this study is to investigate the roles of left-behind children's learning adaptability and teacher support in mediating and moderating the relationship between school climate and achievement motivation. In this study, 1,417 left-behind children were surveyed. The results showed that: (1) after controlling for gender and age, the school climate still had a positive effect on the achievement motivation of left-behind children (c' = 0.177, p < 0.001). (2) School climate perceived by left-behind children directly predicted their achievement motivation, and indirectly through their learning adaptability (a1 = 0.338, p < 0.001; b = 0.341, p < 0.001). In other words, left-behind children's learning adaptability may play an intermediary role between school climate and achievement motivation. (3) The indirect effect of school climate on achievement motivation through learning adaptability was moderated by teacher support (a2 = 0.153, p < 0.001), and this indirect effect was more significant for left-behind children who perceived high teacher support. The research reveals the importance of school climate and teacher support to the growth and development of left-behind children, thus holding theoretical significance for improving the achievement motivation of left-behind children.

Psychosocial School Conditions and Mental Wellbeing Among Mid-adolescents: Findings From the 2017/18 Swedish HBSC Study

Objectives: To investigate mid-adolescent boys' and girls' experiences of school demands, teacher support, and classmate support, and explore the associations of these factors with mental wellbeing. Methods: Data were derived from the Swedish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study of 2017/18, with information collected among 1,418 students in grade 9 (∼15-16 years). School demands, teacher support, and classmate support were measured by indices based on three items each. Mental wellbeing was measured by the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS). Linear regression analyses were performed. Results: Higher demands were associated with lower mental wellbeing. Conversely, mental wellbeing increased with greater teacher support and classmate support. Interactions between demands and the support variables showed that at the lowest levels of teacher and of classmate support, mental wellbeing was low and not associated with school demands. With increasing levels of teacher and classmate support, the overall level of mental wellbeing increased and revealed an inverse association between school demands and mental wellbeing. Conclusion: The study contributes with knowledge about how psychosocial conditions in school may hinder or enhance wellbeing among students.

The Relationships Between Career-Related Emotional Support From Parents and Teachers and Career Adaptability

Career-related support from parents and teachers plays an essential role in the process of promoting young people's career development. This study examined the relationship between parents' and teachers' career-related support and career adaptability among Chinese male primary school preservice teachers (N = 772). The participants completed the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale-Short Version (CAAS), the Career-Related Parental Support Scale (CRPSS), and the Career-Related Teacher Support Scale (CRTSS). Results showed that a high level of emotional support from parents and teachers had more effects on the career adaptability of Chinese male primary school preservice teachers then other aspects in the scale, and teachers' emotional support is more important than parents' emotional support. Notably, there is a complex correlation among education level and occupation of parents and their children's occupational adaptability. These findings carry implications for supporting teachers and parents in facilitating preservice teachers' career adaptability. Future research could identify the differential effects of different forms of teacher support and parental support relate to career adaptability.

The contribution of teacher, parental and peer support in self-reported school and general well-being among ethnic-cultural minority and majority youth

Social support has been shown to be a crucial element in the well-being of children and adolescents. The present research article investigated how various sources of social support (i.e., parental support, teacher support and peer support) are related to school well-being and general well-being,. A survey was administered to N = 12,215 primary school pupils, pertaining to three ethnic-cultural groups, i.e., the national majority group, the Eastern European minority group and the Middle Eastern minority group. The results showed that perceived teacher support was most strongly and positively related to school well-being, although peer support was also an important determinant of school well-being. All three sources of perceived support were positively related to general well-being. Furthermore, and contrary to previous research, no significant differences were found between both minority groups and the national majority in terms of perceived teacher support. Conversely, both minority groups reported lower perceived parental and peer support. It was further shown that minority status moderated the relationship between the various sources of support and school well-being, although it should be articulated that these effects sizes were fairly small. School diversity, finally, did not yield any relevant effects. Similarities and differences with the existing literature on school well-being are delineated, and potential explanations for these divergences are discussed.

Effect of Teacher Support on Adolescents' Positive Academic Emotion in China: Mediating Role of Psychological Suzhi and General Self-Efficacy

Positive academic emotions can promote good academic performance and development in students. Therefore, how teachers stimulate students to produce more positive academic emotions is particularly important. This study aimed to reveal the underlying mechanism of teacher support and adolescents' positive academic emotions. A total of 854 students from western China participated in this survey, which included the Students' Perception of the Teacher's Behavioural Support Questionnaire, the Psychological Suzhi Questionnaire for Middle School Students, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (396 boys; 12 to 20 years old, M_age = 15.3, SD = 2.04). Results showed that (1) teacher support, psychological suzhi, and general self-efficacy were positively correlated with students' positive academic emotion; (2) psychological suzhi and general self-efficacy played a separate mediating role between teacher support and adolescents' positive academic emotion; and (3) teacher support also influenced adolescents' positive academic emotion through the serial mediation of psychological suzhi and general self-efficacy.

Development of a survey on the activity participation of children with special needs in preschool inclusive education

Participation refers to an individual's psychological and behavioral participation in activities. The activity participation of children with disabilities is an important index to measure preschool inclusive education. This study explored the preparation of a questionnaire suitable for measuring the participation of children with disabilities in inclusive education environments, so as to provide an evaluation tool for researchers and teachers. The study included exploration of the four dimensions of learning participation, life participation, teacher support, and parental attitude of children with disabilities in inclusive education. The research involved kindergarten teachers with inclusive education experience in 10 provinces and 20 cities in China such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Sichuan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Xinjiang. Questionnaire is filled in the form of voluntary principle and online. The Cronbach's α coefficient for the total dimension of the questionnaire was 0.950, with coefficients for each sub-dimension ranging from 0.916 to 0.981. The Mplus8.3 software was used to carry out confirmatory factor analysis on the four-factor model. The standardized load of the four sub-dimensions was between 0.88 and 0.95. The load reached the significant level of 0.01, the interpretation rate presents a medium and high level (the interpretation rate is greater than 70%), and the model fits well. Therefore, based on good reliability and validity, this questionnaire can be used to evaluate the activity participation of children with disabilities in preschool inclusive education.

Experiences of peer victimization and teacher support in secondary school predict university enrolment 5 years later: Role of school engagement

BACKGROUND

Peer victimization has an adverse effect on academic outcomes. However, longitudinal research on how peer victimization affects access to higher education is lacking.

AIMS

In this study, we investigated the mechanisms through which peer victimization and teacher support affect aspirations for and enrolment at university 5 years later through engagement in secondary school. We also examined whether these effects were moderated by ethnicity, and whether teacher support may compensate for the effects of peer victimization.

SAMPLE

The sample (N = 15,110, 51% male, 68% White, 12% Black and 20% Asian) was drawn from a nationally representative study of young people in England. We used data from four waves, following adolescents over 3 years of secondary education (T1-T2-T3, age 13 to 15 years) until university (T4, age 18 years).

METHOD

Data were analysed in a longitudinal structural equation model in Mplus 8.

RESULTS

Adolescents subjected to more peer victimization at T1 had lower university aspirations 2 years later and were less likely to attend university 5 years later. These effects were mediated via secondary school engagement. Teacher support at T1 was related to higher school engagement, leading to higher aspirations (T3) and higher likelihood of university enrolment (T4) over time. We also found evidence that teacher support may lessen the effect of peer victimization on school engagement, and that ethnic background may moderate the effect of teacher support.

CONCLUSIONS

Peer victimization had a small long-lasting negative effect on university choices via school engagement, while teacher support had a positive effect. In summary, relationships in secondary school have long-lasting implications for university aspirations and enrolment.

How teacher and classmate support relate to students' stress and academic achievement

According to the conservation of resources theory, social support provides resources to help overcome challenges. Although some empirical findings have emphasized the pivotal role of teacher support and/or peer support for students' stress and academic achievement, multilevel analyses that consider contextual class and individual student effects are scarce. The current study addresses this gap and further includes gender, socio-economic status, and neuroticism as covariates. Multilevel analyses in Mplus were conducted. All measures were taken at the student level and then aggregated to the classroom level to estimate class-level relationships. Results revealed that on the individual level, teacher support was related to higher ability to cope and lower levels of helplessness, while on the class level, peer support by classmates was related to higher ability to cope and academic achievement. The context effects also show that in classes with higher peer support, students are more likely to benefit in terms of coping ability and achievement, whereas in classes with higher teacher support, students tend to show less coping ability.

Developments in early adolescents' self-regulation: The importance of teachers' supportive vs. undermining behavior

Research has established that the ability to self-regulate is an important factor in adolescents' learning, and cognitive and social functioning. Several theories on self-regulation and classroom studies suggest effects of the social learning environment on students' self-regulation. However, most studies investigating these relations have a cross-sectional correlational design and do not relate to adolescents, resulting in little knowledge about causal directions and adolescents. This study extends existing research by examining effects of a selection of supportive and undermining teacher behavior dimensions on early adolescents' development of self-regulation (self-regulated learning). The teacher behavior dimensions are based on ideas of the self-determination theory in which a distinction is made between dimensions that support vs. thwart three basic psychological needs (need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) which are assumed to be important for human growth and (psychological) well-functioning. Supporting autonomy, delivering structure, and being involved with the students are assumed to be important for the fulfillment of students' basic psychological needs, while exhibiting controlling instructional behavior, having chaos, uncertainty and inconsistency in the classroom, and rejection and neglect of students, are supposed to be a treat. Questionnaires were used for measuring students' perceptions of their teachers' behavior and their own self-regulation at several points in time during their first year of secondary education. Participants in the study were 566 students belonging to 20 Mathematics/English grade-7 secondary education classes in The Netherlands. Multilevel analyses point to the importance of all three teacher need-supportive dimensions (with highest effects of structure and involvement) and indicated that teachers' need-thwarting behavior negatively affected students' self-regulation. However, when corresponding supportive and thwarting teacher behavior dimensions were included together in the same multilevel model, only the effect of the undermining dimension of controlling teacher behavior remained significant in addition to the corresponding autonomy-support dimension. Findings are in line with existing research and highlight the importance of both teachers' need-supportive and teachers' need-thwarting behavior in daily secondary-education classrooms and contribute to deepen our insight in and understanding of factors (related to external regulation by teachers) leading to positive and negative developments of early adolescents' self-regulation, and, in particular, their self-regulated learning.

Exploring the multidimensional relationships between educational situation perception, teacher support, online learning engagement, and academic self-efficacy in technology-based language learning

The study explored the multidimensional relationships between educational situation perception, teacher support, online learning engagement and academic self-efficacy in technology-based language learning in a sample of Chinese undergraduate students, and meanwhile examined the mediating effects of academic self-efficacy and teacher support. A total of 392 (126 male and 266 female) Chinese university students reported on their perceived educational situation, teacher support, online learning engagement, and academic self-efficacy. Results showed that educational situation perception was significantly and positively associated with teacher support, online learning engagement and academic self-efficacy; teacher support and academic self-efficacy was positively correlated with online learning engagement. More importantly, academic self-efficacy as well as teacher support mediated the relationship between educational situation perception and online learning engagement. These findings extended previous research by considering both the external factors (i.e., educational situation; teacher support) and the internal factors (i.e., academic self-efficacy) of influencing students' online learning engagement in technology-based language learning, thereby contributing to enhancing our understanding of the joint drive of the inherent and extrinsic power mechanisms. This study highlighted the following aspects: (1) strengthening the consideration of the key elements of the educational situation; (2) clarifying the pivotal position of intelligent technology in educational situations; and (3) emphasizing the reconstruction of intelligence teaching ecology driven by learning activities. Besides, this study indicated the significance of elevating teachers' awareness, willingness and capacity of the substantial supports in enhancing students' online learning engagement and would inform that the future research on the connotation and ways of teacher support should be responding to technology-based learning environments.

Perceived teacher's support and engagement among students with obesity in physical education: The mediating role of basic psychological needs and autonomous motivation

Grounded in self-determination theory, this cross-sectional study aims to explore the multiple mediating roles of perceived teachers' support for students with obesity and their engagement in physical education. The study included 322 Chinese high school students with obesity (mean age, 16.84 [±0.147] years; 219 [68%] male, 103 [32%] female). Mplus 8.3 software was used to test the multiple mediating effects. After controlling for grade and gender, teacher support was found to neither directly affect students' engagement nor directly stimulate their autonomous motivation; however, it could affect their engagement through the two pathways of 1) basic psychological needs and 2) the chain mediation of basic psychological needs and autonomous motivation. Results suggest that not all teacher support, but only teacher support meeting students' basic psychological needs, can promote engagement in PE by students with obesity. Future research should explore strategies according to the physical and mental characteristics of students with obesity, to enrich and innovate the theoretical system of teacher support in physical education. Furthermore, teacher support interventions to promote engagement among students with obesity should be developed.

A review of burnout in college English teachers in China

College English teachers' job burnout has become prominent in the field of education. Using China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, this review research on burnout of college English language teachers in China from 2006 to 2021. The review demonstrates key research areas including teacher burnout severity and influencing variables related to teacher burnout. Individual factors, such as age, gender, marital status, educational background, professional title, and years of teaching experience are associated with burnout rates. University type and level, teaching-related role overload, scientific research stress induced by promotion, limited job autonomy, a stern hierarchical organizational system, and opaque operating rules are influencing factors discussed. Possible ways to reduce burnout across micro, meso, and macro-levels, along with practical implications and limitations are discussed.

Increasing Chinese EFL Learners' Grit: The Role of Teacher Respect and Support

Owing to the pivotal role of grit in scholastic success, factors that help learners become gritty are worth to be studied. Accordingly, this research sought to inspect the impact of teacher respect and teacher support on Chinese EFL learners' grit. In doing so, three reliable measures of the variables were sent to 613 Chinese EFL learners. Using Spearman correlation tests, strong connections were discovered between teacher respect, teacher support, and Chinese EFL learners' grit. Multiple regression analysis was then performed to inspect the role of teacher respect and teacher support in increasing Chinese EFL learners' grit. As a result, both teacher respect and teacher support were found to be highly influential in increased learner grit. The limitations and implications are discussed.

Influence Mechanism of Teacher Support and Parent Support on the Academic Achievement of Secondary Vocational Students

Teachers and parents are key participants in the growth of secondary vocational students, and can jointly support them. This study aimed to explore how the support of teachers and parents affects the academic performance of secondary vocational students and to reveal the 'black box' mechanism for their interaction and relationship. We adapted a Chinese version of a scale for secondary vocational students' perception of teacher and parent support, drawing on self-determination theory. A survey was conducted through the Chinese questionnaire platform wjx.cn, and respondents were fully informed about the research. Data were collected from 710 secondary vocational students in Shanghai and analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. Our hypothesis model was verified, with results indicating that the support of autonomy, emotion, and ability provided by parents and teachers has a significant impact on students' academic performance. The degree of learning engagement plays a mediating role in the relationship between support and achievement. The achievement goal orientation of students can adjust individual learning engagement, and further, affect the influence of teacher and parent support on academic performance. Teacher and parent support interactively influence learning engagement. The study findings suggest that an optimization strategy is needed to promote the academic improvement of secondary vocational students to meet students' basic psychological needs and promote cooperation between family and school. Parents and teachers should also consider the impact of learning engagement and the learning process, and offer guidance in developing an appropriate achievement goal orientation and a positive learning concept.

On the Role of Teacher-Student Rapport and Teacher Support as Predictors of Chinese EFL Students' Affective Learning

Students’ affective learning is critical for their academic success; therefore, considerable attention has been devoted to the role of various student-related and teacher-related factors as predictors of student affective learning. Notwithstanding, the impact of two important teacher-related factors, namely teacher–student rapport and teacher support, has not been adequately researched. To address this gap, the present study sought to explore the role of teacher support and teacher–student rapport in Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ affective learning. To do so, three valid inventories of the variables were administered to 497 Chinese EFL students. Performing correlational analyses, favorable associations were found between teacher–student rapport, teacher support, and student affective learning. The predictive power of teacher support and teacher–student rapport was assessed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Chinese EFL students’ affective learning was shown to be largely influenced by teacher–student rapport and teacher support. The pedagogical implications and future directions are also discussed.

Nursing Students' Emotional State and Perceived Competence During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Vital Role of Teacher and Peer Support

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the shutdown of society and created sudden and long-lasting changes in teaching practices, forcing many nursing students to study remotely at home. These students’ relatedness with their teachers and peers has been limited and mainly online. Several studies have indicated that students’ emotional states and mental health have been negatively affected by the pandemic, representing a serious challenge for many countries. Because they use only digital tools, online students have perceived a decline in teacher and peer support. Likewise, these students have reported feelings of sadness, loneliness, anxiety, and stress, affecting their learning and competence development.

Aims

To investigate the associations between peer support, teacher support, emotional state, and perceived competence in nursing students during the pandemic.

Methods

This cross-sectional study collected quantitative survey data from 329 nursing students at a large university in Norway. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test seven associations among peer support, teacher support, emotional state, and perceived competence.

Results

Teacher support had a significant direct effect on perceived competence, while peer support almost had a significant direct effect. However, the emotional state was directly affected by peer support and had a direct impact on perceived competence. Hence, teacher and peer support is important to nursing students’ perceived competence.

Conclusion

During the COVID-19 pandemic, both peer and teacher support can significantly support students’ competence development. Therefore, students should utilize the support of their teachers and peers in a structured manner to bolster their competence development.

Factors Influencing Adolescent Anxiety: The Roles of Mothers, Teachers and Peers

Grounded in social-ecological system theory, the present study tested the mediating effects of maternal psychological flexibility and mother-adolescent attachment on the relationship between maternal adult attachment and adolescent anxiety as well as the moderating effects of teacher support and peer support on the relationship between mother-adolescent attachment and adolescent anxiety. In total, 1139 Chinese mothers and adolescents completed a set of questionnaires, including the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale, Parental Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The results revealed that maternal adult attachment had a positive impact on adolescent anxiety. The relationship between maternal adult attachment and adolescent anxiety was chain mediated by maternal psychological flexibility and mother-adolescent attachment. In addition, teacher support and peer support had moderating effects on the relationship between mother-adolescent attachment and adolescent anxiety. These findings support the systematic social ecosystem perspective and highlight the differences in the effects of different maternal adult attachment styles, teacher support, and peer support on adolescent anxiety.

The Relationship Between Social Support and Student Academic Involvement: The Mediating Role of School Belonging

Canada’s high school graduation rates are still low when compared to other members of the OECD. Previous studies have found academic involvement is associated with positive trajectories toward graduation, that social support promotes student engagement, and that school belonging could mediate this relationship. Still, little is known about the specificity of such mediation, especially in Québec. Therefore, this study examined the role of belonging as mediator of the relationship between social support and academic involvement. Participants (N = 238) were high-school students from the Greater Montréal Area. All variables were measured by the School-Climate Questionnaire. Results from hierarchical multiple regressions indicated parental support had a direct relationship, whereas peer and teacher support had a mediated relationship by school belonging with academic involvement. Results highlight the critical role of school belonging in promoting academic involvement in relation to social support.

The Role of Teacher-Student Relatedness and Teachers' Engagement on Students' Engagement in EFL Classrooms

Relationships in language contexts or interactions between teachers and learners might play an eminent role in EFL learners' language ability development. The current review brings to the fore an overview of teacher-student relationships and factors that contribute to this interaction. It has been revealed that EFL teachers' and learners' expectations, beliefs, personality, knowledge, and the language teaching context all play a role in creating an adequate relationship among teachers and learners. This overview suggests several practical tasks to develop a positive relationship between teachers and learners in EFL classrooms.

"It was Just One Less Thing that I Had to Worry about": Positive Experiences of Schooling for Gender Diverse and Transgender Students

While a range of studies have explored the difficulties and negative experiences that transgender and gender diverse young people face at school, there has so far been a dearth of research that investigates their positive experiences. Through interviews with three transgender youth, this study explores transgender and gender diverse students' positive experiences of schooling. Positive experiences centering around "significant people," "relationships and dialogue" and "groups and materials" were found to contribute to a safer and more supportive learning environment for each participant. While it is a small-scale study, the findings are hoped to provide educators with examples of positive teaching practices that they can draw from to support transgender and gender diverse students within their own classrooms.

Maternal Psychological Control and Rural Left-Behind Children's Anxiety: The Moderating Role of Externalizing Problem Behavior and Teacher Support

Based on the risk and protective factor framework and context-dependent theory, the present study investigated the association between maternal psychological control and anxiety among left-behind children in rural China as well as the moderating roles of externalizing problem behavior and teacher support in this association. A total of 149 children with two migrant parents, 306 children with only a migrant father, and 287 accompanied children aged 11–16 years (M = 13.85 years, SD = 0.50) in the rural areas of Shandong Province, Eastern China, participated in the study. Children reported their perceived levels of maternal psychological control, teacher support, externalizing problem behavior, and anxiety. The results provided evidence that a higher level of psychological control was associated with more anxiety symptoms in all three groups of children, and this association was stronger in children with two migrant parents than in accompanied children. Hierarchical regression analysis supported our hypotheses that the moderating effects of externalizing problem behavior and teacher support varied as a function of parents' migrant status, with externalizing problem behavior exacerbating the impact of psychological control on anxiety in accompanied children, and teacher support buffering the impact of psychological control on anxiety in children with a migrant father. These findings broaden our understanding of the factors and processes that contribute to anxiety problems in left-behind children in rural China.

Psychosocial Working Conditions in School and Life Satisfaction among Adolescents in Sweden: A Cross-Sectional Study

Poor psychosocial working conditions in school have consistently been shown to be associated with adverse health among adolescents. However, the relationships between school demands, teacher support, and classmate support and positive aspects of health have not been explored to the same extent. The aim of this study was to examine differences in psychosocial working conditions in school and in life satisfaction by gender and by grade, and to investigate the association between psychosocial working conditions in school and life satisfaction among boys and girls, and among students in different grades. Data from the Swedish Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study of 2017/18 were used, consisting of 3614 students in Grades 5, 7, and 9 (~11, 13, and 15 years). Psychosocial working conditions in school were captured by indices of perceived school demands, teacher support, and classmate support. Life satisfaction was measured by the 11-step Cantril’s ladder (using cutoffs at >5 and >8, respectively). Whereas girls reported higher school demands than boys, higher levels of teacher and classmate support were reported by boys. Students in lower grades reported lower school demands but higher levels of teacher and classmate support compared with students in higher grades. Boys and students in lower grades were more likely to report high life satisfaction compared with girls and students in higher grades. Results from binary logistic regression analyzes showed that school demands were inversely associated with life satisfaction, and that higher levels of teacher support and classmate support were associated with high life satisfaction. These results were found for both boys and girls, and for students in all grades. The findings indicate that schools have the potential to promote positive health among students.

The Outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic and its Social Impact on Education: Were Engineering Teachers Ready to Teach Online?

The major impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are still affecting all social dimensions. Its specific impact on education is extensive and quite evident in the adaptation from Face-to-Face (F2F) teaching to online methodologies throughout the first wave of the pandemic and the strict rules on lockdown. As lesson formats changed radically, the relevance of evaluating student on-line learning processes in university degrees throughout this period became clear. For this purpose, the perceptions of engineering students towards five specific course units forming part of engineering degree courses at the University of Burgos, Spain, were evaluated to assess the quality of the online teaching they received. Comparisons were also drawn with their perceptions of the F2F teaching of the course units prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. According to the students' perceptions, the teachers possessed the technical knowledge, the social skills, and the personal capabilities (empathy and understanding of the at times troubled situation of each student) for a very abrupt adaptation of their courses to an online methodology. The shortcomings of the online teaching were related to its particularities and each teacher's personality traits. Overall, engineering teachers appeared well prepared for a situation of these characteristics and, if similar online teaching scenarios were ever repeated, the quality of engineering teaching appears to be guaranteed.

When Does Teacher Support Reduce Depression in Students? The Moderating Role of Students' Status as Left-Behind Children

Teacher support (TS) makes students feel loved and cared for because they believe that their teachers will provide them with opportunities to make choices, support them in independent problem solving, and understand their inner feelings. High TS levels reduce depression and anxiety, thereby improving students' mental well-being. This cross-sectional study involved 3,573 students from 29 schools in 16 counties/cities of six provinces, namely, Guizhou, Hubei, Jiangxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, and Yunnan. The aim was to examine the impact of TS on students' level of depression. The results indicated that for children in elementary schools, their status as left-behind children (LBC) played a moderating role between TS and depression. The level of depression in non-LBC children decreased significantly with increases in TS, but the reduction for LBC children was not significant. For children in middle/junior high schools, their LBC status did not play a moderating role between TS and depression. TS was negatively correlated with the children's level of depression, but there was a significant positive relationship between their LBC status and depression. The theoretical and practical significance of the research findings were further discussed.

Excellent Self-Rated Health among Swedish Boys and Girls and Its Relationship with Working Conditions in School: A Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which school demands, teacher support, and classmate support were associated with excellent self-rated health among students, and to examine if any such statistical predictions differed by gender. Data were drawn from the Swedish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study of 2017/18, performed among adolescents in grades five, seven, and nine (n = 3701). Linear probability models showed that school demands were negatively associated with excellent self-rated health, whereas teacher and classmate support showed positive associations. The link with school demands was stronger for girls than boys, driven by the finding that in grades five and nine, school demands were associated with excellent self-rated health only among girls. In conclusion, the study suggests that working conditions in school in terms of manageable school demands and strong teacher and classmate support may benefit adolescents’ positive health. The finding that the link between school demands and excellent self-rated health was more evident among girls than among boys may be interpreted in light of girls’ on average stronger focus on schoolwork and academic success. The study contributes with to knowledge about how working conditions in school may impede or promote students’ positive health.

Transactional Links between Teacher-Adolescent Support, Relatedness, and Aggression at School: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

This study examines the reciprocal effects between two school-based relationships within the classroom-namely, perceived teacher support and relatedness with classmates-and school aggression (overt and relational) across two courses of secondary education. Participants were 654 adolescents (48% boys), who were assessed in three waves: first, at the beginning of the academic year (T0), second, at the end of the same academic year (T1), and third, at the beginning of the next academic year (T2) (Mage wave 1 = 13.98 years). Autoregressive cross-lagged modeling was applied. Results show a protective effect of relatedness against relational aggression in both genders. Moreover, we observed a protective effect of perceived teacher support at the beginning of the course for later school aggression as well as a risk effect if this perceived teacher support is maintained throughout the course. These effects were observed in relation with gender-atypical forms of aggression (overt in girls and relational in boys). Finally, aggression had negative consequences for relatedness in girls and for teacher support through the mediation of relatedness in boys. Gender differences and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Acceptance of outgroup members in schools: Developmental trends and roles of perceived norm of prejudice and teacher support

BACKGROUND

Schools around the world are increasingly diverse in ethnicity. Given the importance of peer acceptance in children's well-being and development, it is a pressing concern for educators to promote intergroup acceptance in schools.

AIMS

First, to examine the developmental trends of acceptance of outgroup members in both the ethnic minority and majority students. Second, to investigate how outgroup acceptance is subject to the interplay between perceived norm of prejudice, a risk factor in the macrosystem, and teacher support, a protective factor in the microsystem.

SAMPLE

The participants were 3,723 students (ethnic majority: 61%; boys: 51.9%; mean age: 13.7) at Grade 2, 5, 8, and 11 from 24 schools in Hong Kong.

METHODS

The students were asked to complete a battery of questionnaires regarding their willingness to accept outgroup members in schools, perceived societal norm of prejudice against ethnic minority group, and teacher support they received in schools.

RESULTS

It was found that ethnic minority students accepted outgroup members more than ethnic majority students accepted them. The difference was primarily driven by the low outgroup acceptance of ethnic majority students in Grades 2 and 5. The results of multi-level analysis revealed that outgroup acceptance was associated negatively with perceived norm of prejudice but positively with teacher support. The negative association between outgroup acceptance and perceived norm of prejudice was attenuated in schools with supportive culture.

CONCLUSIONS

The results point to the need of early intervention and the importance of cultivating school culture with strong social emotional support.

MOCSE Centered on Students: Validation of Learning Demands and Teacher Support Scales

Based on The Educational Situation Quality Model (MOCSE, acronym in Spanish) framework, the primary objective of this study is to test the factorial validity and reliability of two MOCSE measure instruments referred to the preactional-decisional phase, specifically to learning demands and teacher supports perceived by students to overcome such demands in the classroom context. The participants were 357 Spanish undergraduate students. The data obtained by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the “Learning Demands Scale” (MOCSE-LDS) has a two-factor structure: perceived desirability and feasibility of demands. The data also revealed that the “Teacher Support Questionnaire” (MOCSE-TSQ) is composed of ten independent factors or subscales with good psychometric validity and reliability properties. Finally, the Student’s t-test generally indicated that the constructs considered in the instruments did not differ in gender terms. In short, the results obtained for the validity and reliability of the two tested instruments were good. Thus, the application of instruments MOCSE-LDS and MOCSE-TSQ is satisfactorily supported by empirical data. The resulting scales can be useful for researchers and teachers. On the one hand, this study provides researchers with two valid and reliable tools that may contribute to investigate students’ motivation in the university classroom context based on MOCSE postulates. On the other hand, the two tested instruments may provide teachers and school psychologists with important information to implement preventive or intervention actions to improve students’ intention to learn. Teachers may also use them to evaluate their own teaching and to research their own classrooms. The implications for education according to MOCSE postulates are discussed.

Social Cognitive Orientations, Social Support, and Physical Activity among at-Risk Urban Children: Insights from a Structural Equation Model

This study investigates the effects of cognitive orientations associated with social cognitive theory (SCT) and exercise enjoyment on physical activity (PA) of urban at-risk children, accounting for mediating effects associated with various sources of social support. We use 2016–2017 survey data from 725 school-age children in an urban school district in Akron, Ohio in the United States (US) to inform a structural equation model, which assesses direct and indirect effects of self-efficacy, behavioral intention, and exercise enjoyment on children’s PA, using mediating variables that measure social support that children report receiving from parents, Physical Education (PE) teachers, and peers. We find that self-efficacy and exercise enjoyment have notable direct and indirect effects on the children’s PA. We also find that the support children receive from PE teachers and peers appears to have greater effects on PA than does the children’s reported social support from parents. These findings suggest that children’s social cognitive orientations may influence both sources of perceived social support and the extent to which children engage in PA. While these findings have potential implications for intervention strategies to increase PA among at-risk children, further research is appropriate to improve our understanding of the determinants of PA among at-risk urban children.

Teacher Support and Mental Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Negative Emotions and Resilience

Teacher support has been shown to enhance adolescent mental health. However, the effects of negative emotions and resilience in the relationship between teacher support and mental well-being in adolescents are still unknown. This study investigated (a) the mediating role of negative emotions in the relationship between teacher support and mental well-being, (b) the mediating role of resilience in the association between teacher support and mental well-being, (c) the serial mediating role of negative emotions and then resilience in the relationship between teacher support and mental well-being, and (d) the parallel mediating role of the five dimensions of resilience and the three factors of negative emotions in the relationship between teacher support and mental well-being. Participants were 1228 Chinese adolescents (age, M = 15.43 years; 53.09% male). Participants filled out questionnaires regarding teacher support, negative emotions, resilience, and mental well-being. After controlling for age and gender, we found that teacher support, negative emotions, and resilience were significantly linked with mental well-being. Moreover, negative emotions and resilience were found to mediate the relationship between teacher support and adolescent mental well-being, accounting for 5.45 and 30.00% of the total effect, respectively. We also found that teacher support enhances mental well-being by decreasing negative emotions and then increasing resilience. This serial mediating effect accounted for 8.48% of the total effect. Finally, the mediating effect of resilience between teacher support and mental well-being was significantly greater than the mediating effects of the other two indirect effects (negative emotions in the relationship between teacher support and mental well-being, negative emotions and then resilience in the relationship between teacher support and mental well-being). And the parallel mediation model showed that teacher support can promote adolescent mental well-being by increasing goal planning, affect control, and help-seeking behavior, and decreasing depression. These findings suggest a process through which negative emotions can decrease resilience and identify the mediating effects of negative emotions (including the three dimensions of negative emotions) and resilience (including the five factors of resilience) in the relationship between teacher support and adolescent mental well-being.

Effect of Self-Esteem and Parents' Psychological Control on the Relationship Between Teacher Support and Chinese Migrant Children's Academic Achievement: A Moderated Mediation

Based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Ecological Systems Theory (EST), this study attempted to examine the relationship between teacher support and Chinese migrant children's academic achievement as well as the mediating role of self-esteem and the moderating role of parents' psychological control. An opt-in consent procedure was employed and participation rates were 85%. Finally, six hundred and one migrant children participated in the study in spring and completed self-report questionnaires concerning teacher support, self-esteem and parents' psychological control. Teacher support was measured by Teacher Behavior Questionnaire, self-esteem by Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale, and parents' psychological control by 18 items from prior research. And students' final academic performance of the semester was provided by the dean office. Results indicated that self-esteem (positive self-esteem/self-deprecation) mediated the positive relationship between teacher support and academic achievement. Parents' psychological control moderated the relationship between teacher support and self-deprecation. Furthermore, parents' psychological control moderated the mediating effect of self-deprecation on teacher support-academic achievement relationship, such that the mediating effect was positive when the level of psychological control was high while the mediating effect was not significant when psychological control was low. Parents' psychological control neither moderate teacher support - positive self-esteem link nor the mediating effect. The findings are consistent with SDT and EST, and have both culturally specific and universal meanings. The implications of the study for promoting Chinese migrant children's academic achievement are also discussed.

Predictors of school satisfaction among adolescents in Jordan: a cross-sectional study exploring the role of school-related variables and student demographics

Background

Understanding factors associated with adolescents’ satisfaction with school is necessary to enhance their physical and psychological well-being.

Purpose

To investigate relationships among school-related variables, demographics, and school satisfaction and identify factors that predict school satisfaction among adolescents.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive design was used to recruit 1,200 Jordanian students aged 11–16 years. A multistage cluster-sampling technique was used to select participants, and the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using linear regression analysis to identify predictors of adolescents’ school satisfaction.

Results

Linear regression analysis showed that the adolescent’s satisfaction at school was predicted by age, male sex, teacher support, peer support, fair rules at the school, and tiredness in the morning. These factors explained 41% of variance in school-satisfaction scores.

Conclusion

Social support at home and school were helpful for better satisfaction with school life among adolescents in Jordan.

Perception and predictors of school climate among Jordanian adolescents

Background

School climate has great effects on adolescents’ outcomes. It offers possible protective or harmful sets of factors that have significant contributions to adolescents’ health, development, and academic outcomes.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate adolescents’ perception of school climate and its predictors.

Design and methods

A cross-sectional design was used to recruit a convenient sample of 567 students with mean age of 14.6 years. Health Behavior in School-Aged Children questionnaire subscales of perceived school climate, peer support, and teacher support were used to collect data. Descriptive, parametric, bivariate, and regression analysis tests were used in the analyses of the study data.

Results

The study showed that less than half of the students felt that they belonged to their schools. One-third of responding students were involved in making rules. Perceived academic performance, adolescents’ age, peer support, and teacher support were the predictors of school climate. Significant differences existed between adolescents’ perception of school climate in relation to age, gender, and perceived academic performance.

Conclusion

Some aspects of school climate should be further addressed by the school nurse, policy makers, and school administrators in order to improve Jordanian adolescents’ outcomes in term of their developmental needs and academic performance.

Effects of Parental Autonomy Support and Teacher Support on Middle School Students' Homework Effort: Homework Autonomous Motivation as Mediator

The present study tested whether students’ autonomous motivation mediated the association between adult support (parental autonomy support, teacher support) and students’ homework effort. A sample of 666 Chinese middle school students was recruited to complete the parental autonomy support questionnaire, teacher support questionnaire, homework autonomous motivation questionnaire and homework effort questionnaire. Structural equation modeling showed that both parental autonomy support and teacher support positively predicted mathematics homework effort, and mathematics homework autonomous motivation was a mediator in these associations. The present study reveals the importance of adult support and autonomous motivation, and has theoretical and practical implications.

Perceived Weight Discrimination and School Connectedness Among Youth: Does Teacher Support Play a Protective Role?

BACKGROUND

Weight discrimination has been associated with poor academic performance and decreased school attendance. Little is known about weight discrimination and students' feelings of belonging to their school. This study examined the association between weight discrimination and school connectedness among adolescents. Teacher support was examined as a protective factor.

METHODS

Middle school students (N = 639; 57% white; Mean age = 12.16 years) completed a health behaviors survey. Weight discrimination from peers and/or good friends was dichotomized into never versus experienced weight discrimination. The mean of 5 school connectedness items assessed level of school connectedness. Teacher support was measured by taking the mean of 4 teacher support items. Hierarchical linear regression was used to examine the association between weight discrimination and school connectedness. Teacher support was tested as a moderator.

RESULTS

Weight discrimination was associated with lower levels of school connectedness (p < .05). Teacher support was associated with higher levels of school connectedness (p < .001) but did not moderate the association between weight discrimination and school connectedness.

CONCLUSION

The association between weight discrimination and low levels of school connectedness is important as students spend most of their time at school and should benefit from the positive effects of feeling connected to school.

Social Capital as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Perceived Discrimination and Alcohol and Cannabis Use Among Immigrant and Non-immigrant Adolescents in Israel

Literature highlights the relationship between perceived discrimination and frequency and severity of alcohol and cannabis use. One mechanism for explaining this is the nature of perceived discrimination as a potentially traumatic interpersonal stressor, which can lead to the depletion of social and personal resources. Within a Recovery Capital (RC) framework, the current study explores whether the existence of social capital in the form of parental monitoring, friend and teacher support can buffer the relationship between perceived discrimination and alcohol and cannabis use among immigrant and non-immigrant adolescents, by replenishing the depleted resources. The study included a representative sample of 8,598 students in Israel, aged 11-18, from the Health Behaviors of School Aged Children (HBSC) 2013-2014 data: 1503 immigrant adolescents from the Former Soviet Union [FSU] (N = 955) and Ethiopia (N = 548) and 7086 non-immigrants. Results confirmed that perceived discrimination was positively related to substance use; all three forms of social capital were negatively related to alcohol and cannabis use and moderated the relationship between perceived discrimination and substance use, with the exception of friend support in the case of alcohol use. When all three social capital measures were included together, the adult social capital measures were significant predictors of substance use. Results suggest that levels of social capital, especially as provided by parents and teachers, can help young people, both immigrant and majority group adolescents, to cope with perceived discrimination.

Is Social Support a Cause or Consequence of Depression? A Longitudinal Study of Adolescents

A large body of literature has examined the relations between social support and depression. However, the exact nature and direction of these relations are not well understood. This study explored the relations between specific types of social support (peer support and teacher support) and depression. Adolescents (ages 11 to 17) for the first time (N = 2453) participated in a two-wave, 6-month longitudinal study. Structural equation modeling was used to test a social causation model (deficits in social support increase the likelihood of depression), interpersonal theories of depression (depression leads to social erosion), and a reciprocal influence model. Depression influenced peer support significantly and negatively. By contrast, the social causation model was not supported. These results held for males and females. Findings suggested that depression resulted in social support erosion. However, the effect was specific to perceived peer support but not to perceived teacher support.

Early adolescents' relationships with parents, teachers, and peers and increases in social anxiety symptoms

Previous research on social anxiety has clearly identified interpersonal relationships as important for social anxiety symptoms. Few studies, however, have utilized longitudinal designs and have examined mechanisms that might explain links between negative interpersonal relationships and changes in youths' social anxiety over time. Recent models of social anxiety suggest that negative interpersonal relationships are linked to social anxiety through effects on social skills and behaviors. Using an autoregressive design and a sample of 416 two-parent families (51% female, 91% White), this study examined whether connections among parent-adolescent hostility, teacher support (6th grade), and changes in early adolescent social anxiety symptoms (6th to 8th grades) are mediated by youths' compliance with peers (7th grade). Results indicated that youths who experienced greater parent-adolescent hostility and lower teacher support engaged in greater compliance with peers. In turn, those who engaged in greater compliance with peers experienced increases in social anxiety symptoms. Significant indirect effects were substantiated for only parent-adolescent hostility. Associations were unique to adolescent social anxiety after accounting for depressive symptoms. Associations did not differ for early adolescent girls and boys. The results reveal that nuanced social processes involving social behaviors and relationships with parents and teachers have important and potentially unique implications for changes in early adolescent social anxiety symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record

Jordanian adolescents' health behaviour and school climate

Aim

This study was conducted to assess the occurrence of physical activity, nutritional habits, tooth brushing and seat belt use behaviour among adolescent school students in Jordan, and to examine the effect of psychosocial aspects of school on these behaviours.

Method

A cross-sectional descriptive correlational design was used to draw a sample of in-school adolescents aged between 11 and 15 years. The final sample included 1166 adolescents from five public and two private schools. Study participants filled in a translated version of the health behaviour in school aged children questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, correlational (point biserial), and bivariate analyses (chi-square tests) were used to analyse the data.

Results

Among the study sample 34.5% of the adolescents practised exercise outside school hours once a week or less frequently, and only 53.1% of them brushed their teeth more than once a day. Regarding seat belt use, 44.7% of the adolescents used them rarely or never. Concerning carbonated sugary drinks and sweets consumption, about 64% and 83.3% of the adolescents, respectively, consumed them once a day or more often. The percentages of adolescents who never drank low fat or whole fat milk were 43.1% and 38.2%, respectively.

Conclusions

The study concluded that school adolescents do engage in unhealthy behaviour. Psychosocial aspect of schools were associated with students' physical activity, nutritional habits, tooth brushing and seat belt use behaviours.