The Role of Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs in the Development of Teacher-Student Relationships

• In Event: Responding, Relating, Caring: How Teachers Respond to Students

Abstract

The current study investigated the trajectories of teacher-student relationships, examining the extent that teacher self-efficacy beliefs predicted ratings of conflict and closeness for 885 students from second to sixth grade, using a parallel process growth curve model. Results suggested that teacher-student conflict was stable from second to sixth grade, while teacher-student closeness demonstrated a declining curvilinear trend. The relationship between teacher-student conflict and closeness suggests that students with relatively high levels of conflict in second grade were likely to exhibit sharper declines in closeness over time. Across grades, teachers rated closer and less conflictual relationships with females. Teachers with higher self-efficacy beliefs were likely to report higher ratings of closeness and lower ratings of conflict with students over time.

Authors

• Steven Randall Chesnut, University of Missouri - Kansas City

• Daniel Hajovsky, University of South Dakota

• Karissa Jensen, University of South Dakota