Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Teacher-Child Relationship Quality: Does Affective Social Competence Play a Role?

• In Event: Social Competence and School Readiness

Abstract

This study examined how indicators of preschoolers’ affective social competence mediates the association between race and socioeconomic status (SES) and teacher-child relational quality (n = 124, 52% male, 41.1% Black, 32.3% White, and 26.6% Latino). Emotion regulation ability was the only indicator associated with all three relationship outcomes. Further, conflict-laden relationships were more prevalent among emotionally dysregulated Latino preschoolers, but teachers reported having closer relationships with Latinos than with Black preschoolers. However, Black preschoolers received the highest prosocial ratings. Low SES was negatively associated with emotion knowledge and regulation and prosocial behavior. The importance of race and SES and the intersection of the two in predicting children’s intrapersonal and interpersonal competence with peers and teachers are discussed.

Authors

• Duhita Mahatmya, George Mason University

• Pamela W. Garner, George Mason University

• Elizabeth Levine Brown, George Mason University

• Colleen Vesely, George Mason University