A Longitudinal Examination of the Associations Between Time Attitude Profiles and Teacher-Student Relationships in Germany

• In Event: Time, Skin, and Class: Emerging Constructs in Human Development

Abstract

Time attitudes refer to individuals’ feelings about the past, the present, and the future (Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999). Adolescence is a salient period for the development of time attitudes, given educational transitions (Mello & Worrell, 2015). Research has shown relationships between future attitudes and school outcomes (Phalet et al., 2004; Peetsma & van der Veen, 2011). Researchers have examined subgroups of time attitudes using profiles (Andretta & Worrell, 2022; Buhl, 2014). Cross-sectional studies have highlighted how adolescents have unique profiles of time attitudes (Buhl, 2014). Other research has shown how time attitude profiles have been associated with developmental outcomes, including academic achievement (Andretta & Worrell, 2022). However, we lack an understanding of how time attitude profiles change across time and how this change is associated with education.

In this paper, we sought to understand how time attitude changed during secondary school and how such changes were associated with teacher-student-relationships. First, we aimed to replicate the time attitude profiles that have been reported in other studies (Buhl, 2014). Second, we examined the stability and change of these time attitude profiles. Third, we determined cross-sectional correlations between time attitude profiles and teacher-student-relationships. Fourth, we analyzed how stability and change in time attitude profiles were associated with teacher-student-relationships over time.

Data came from a six-wave longitudinal study at a German comprehensive school (Schoreit & Kuhn, 2022). For this project, we followed a cohort of fifth graders annually to tenth grade (n=337, 51% female). Measures included the German Adult-and-Adolescent-Time-Inventory-Time-Attitude-Scale (AATI-TA, Worrell, Mello & Buhl, 2013) that comprises six five-item time attitude subscales (past positive, past negative, present positive, present negative, future positive, future negative; .73<α<.89). Teacher-student-relationships were measured with the German developmental relationships scale (Peckel, 2019). The scale was included in waves 4 to 6 and addresses five experiences: express care, challenge growth, provide support, share power, and expand possibilities (SEARCH Institute, 2020; .72<α<.93).

Latent Profile Analyses indicated five time attitudes profiles (Figure 1): Positives, Balanced, Negatives, Optimists, and Ambivalents. The profiles were consistent with past research (Buhl, 2014). Profiles changed across time: 33.2% profiles changed to Positive profiles, 32.6% changed to Negative profiles, and 34.2% did not change. Profiles were associated with teacher-student relationships (Figure 2). Associations were higher for the Positives and the Balanced compared to the Negatives profiles. Associations between profile trajectories and teacher-student relationships were observed (Figure 3). Adolescents with stable profiles and adolescents who changed to a Positive profile indicated more support from their teachers. Whereas adolescents who changed to a Negative profile indicated a decrease in support from their teachers across time. Overall, this research provides evidence that time attitudes, a new construct, may be useful in understanding and improving the impact of teacher support for adolescents. The findings have implications for programs that train teachers.

Authors

• Monika Buhl, Heidelberg University

• Ines Kling, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg

• Hans Peter Kuhn, University of Kassel