Teacher-student relationship quality type in elementary grades: Effects on trajectories for achievement and engagement

Abstract

Teacher, peer, and student reports of the quality of the teacher-student relationship were obtained for an ethnically diverse and academically at-risk sample of 706 second- and third-grade students. Cluster analysis identified four types of relationships based on the consistency of child reports of support and conflict in the relationship with reports of others: Congruent Positive, Congruent Negative, Incongruent Child Negative, and Incongruent Child Positive. The cluster solution evidenced good internal consistency and construct validity. Group membership predicted growth trajectories for teacher-rated engagement and standardized achievement scores over the following three years, above prior performance. The predictive associations between child reports of teacher support and conflict and the measured outcomes depended on whether child reports were consistent or inconsistent with reports of others. Study findings have implications for theory development, assessment of teacher-student relationships, and teacher professional development.

Figure 1

Latent growth model with year 2 achievement and Teacher-Student relationship (TSRQ) variables as covariates.

Figure 2

Mean values of five clustering variables across four clusters at Year 3

Figure 3

Reading, Math, and Engagement growth trajectories of four TSRQ clusters