Teachers' Communication Behaviors and Classroom Goal Structures in Health Classrooms

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 9
  In Poster Session: Individual and Contextual Factors Affecting Child and Adolescent Development

Abstract

Research has shown that the goal structures of high school health classrooms have important implications for adolescents’ future sexual health intentions and behaviors (Anderman et al., 2011). However, little is known about how teachers communicate these goal structures. We asked 378 high school students to report on their health classroom goal structures, as well as their teachers’ communication behaviors, namely their verbal and nonverbal immediacy, and their attempts to make the content relevant. Three hierarchical regressions using communication behaviors as predictors of goal structures showed that each communication behavior significantly predicted mastery goal structures, while extrinsic and avoidance goal structures were only predicted by relevance-making. We conclude that teachers can use warm communication behaviors to create mastery-oriented health classrooms.

Authors

• Ryan Iaconelli, National Center for Education Statistics

• Eric M. Anderman, The Ohio State University