Implementing Prosocial Education Strategies Is Related to Teachers' Confidence and Supports Middle Schoolers' Peer Relationships (Poster 19): Division E - Section 2: Human Development, Stage 1, 10:02 AM

• In Event: e-Lightening Ed-Talk Session 15 - Stage 1

Abstract

This study investigates whether teachers’ self-efficacy for managing peer relations (MPR) is associated with students’ classroom friendship support and peer approval of prosocial and antisocial behavior, via teachers’ prosocial education strategies. Participants were 74 middle school teachers and their 1,119 students. Students were evenly distributed by gender, primarily White, and located in rural schools. We examined two multilevel indirect effect models. At the class-level, teacher self-efficacy for MPR was indirectly associated with classroom friend support via teacher praise. Students’ individual perceptions of their teachers’ use of praise and induction were positively associated with greater friendship support and peer approval of prosocial behavior, but unrelated to approval of antisocial behavior. Findings highlight teachable strategies that can support middle schoolers’ peer relationships.

Authors

• Jessica E. Kilday, University of Missouri

• Nicole Brass, RMC Research Corporation

• Lindsay A. Brockmeier, University of Missouri

• Christi Crosby Bergin, University of Missouri