Teacher-student relationship climate and school outcomes: implications for educational policy initiatives

Exploration of Variables Predicting Sense of School Belonging Using the Machine Learning Method-Group Mnet

The purpose of this study was to explore variables related to school belonging from a holistic perspective, including a large number of variables in one model, different to the traditional analytical method. Using 2015 data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), we sought to identify variables related to school belonging by searching for hundreds of predictors in one model using the group Mnet machine learning technique. The study repeated 100 rounds of model building after random data splitting. After exploring 504 variables (384 student and 99 parent), 32 variables were finally selected after selection counts. Variables predicting a sense of school belonging were categorized as individual/parent variables (e.g. motivation to achieve, tendency to cooperative learning, parental support) and school-related variables (e.g. school satisfaction, peer/teacher relationship, learning/physical activities). The significance and implications of the study as well as future research topics were discussed.

The influence of teacher-student relationship on Chinese high school students' academic motivation for the ideological and political subject: the mediating role of academic emotions

Introduction

This study investigated the influence of teacher-student relationship on Chinese high students' academic motivation for the ideological and political subject and the parallel mediating roles of positive and negative academic emotions on this influence.

Method

The participants of this study were 425 Chinese high school students. This study measured teacher-student relationship, academic motivation, and academic emotions through several self-reported questionnaires. Structural equation models were used to analyze data and investigate the direct and indirect influence of teacher-student relationship on Chinese high school students' academic motivation for the ideological and political subject.

Results

Teacher-student relationship had a significant, positive, and direct impact on Chinese high school students' academic motivation for the ideological and political subject. Moreover, positive and negative academic emotions, in parallel, mediated the relationship between these two factors.

Discussion

This study demonstrates the important influence of teacher-student relationships on Chinese high school students' academic motivation for the ideological and political subject. A positive teacher-student relationship can directly increase students' academic motivation for this subject and indirectly enhance their motivation by generating positive academic emotions. Therefore, teachers should express care for their students, make friends with them, and be their partners in learning and life. Additionally, teachers need to pay close attention to students' academic emotions and provide them emotional support so that they can develop positive academic emotions while learning, and strive to establish and maintain a good teacher-student relationship.

Pedagogical practices and civic knowledge and engagement in Latin America: Multilevel analysis using ICCS data

This study explored the relationship between pedagogical practices and the civic knowledge and engagement of students from five Latin American and Caribbean countries, using a multilevel analysis of the 2016 International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS). The results reveal the complex interplay of educational, sociodemographic, and attitudinal factors in shaping the civic knowledge and engagement of students. Extracurricular civic engagement showed a negative correlation with student civic knowledge and engagement as measured by the ICCS cognitive test. However, civic learning in school positively related to cognitive abilities, emphasizing the importance of integrating civic learning into the curriculum. Interestingly, students' educational aspirations emerged as a significant factor shaping their civic engagement, suggesting a strategy to foster high educational aspirations to enhance cognitive performance. Additionally, gender dynamics were evident in civic education, with girls consistently outperforming boys in all participating countries. The correlation between home literacy resources and test scores illuminated the significant role of home environments in academic achievement. Lastly, students' attitudes towards political participation had a notable connection to civic knowledge outcomes, presenting an exciting avenue for future research. Collectively, these findings underscore the need for a comprehensive approach to civic education and further research to refine effective strategies.

How teacher-student closeness and conflict contributes to mathematical problem solving in Chinese adolescents: a multilevel moderated mediation model of self-efficacy and school climate

The current study investigated how and when two different aspects of teacher-student relationship (TSR; closeness and conflict) influence students' mathematical problem solving ability. Participants were 9163 eighth-grade Chinese adolescents (53.5% male) nested in 908 schools, who took part in a standard mathematics assessment and survey using student questionnaires that were all developed by the Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality (CICA-BEQ) in China in 2015. The results indicated that (a) after controlling the factors of gender and SES, teacher-student closeness had a significant and positive effect on mathematical problem solving, while teacher-student conflict did not, (b) the mediating role of mathematical self-efficacy in the relationships of TSRs and mathematical problem solving was confirmed, and (c) school climate negatively moderated the indirect relationships between TSRs and mathematical problem solving.

The association among teacher-student relationship, subjective well-being, and academic achievement: Evidence from Chinese fourth graders and eighth graders

This study compared the teacher-student relationship, subjective well-being, and academic achievement between fourth graders and eighth graders, and examined whether and how subjective well-being played a mediating role concerning teacher-student relationship and academic achievement across the two grades. The participants included 19,845 fourth graders and 11,691 eighth graders from a city in central China. The findings indicated that (1) compared with eighth graders, fourth graders reported significantly higher mean scores in the teacher-student relationship, subjective well-being, and academic achievements; (2) a positive teacher-student relationship can promote students' academic achievement both directly and indirectly through subjective well-being across the two groups; (3) The mediating effect of subjective well-being accounted for 42.8% of the total effects between teacher-student relationship and academic achievement for fourth graders, which was higher than that for eighth graders (22.7%). Limitations and future directions are elaborated.

Academic achievement is more closely associated with student-peer relationships than with student-parent relationships or student-teacher relationships

Introduction

Personal relationships have long been a concern in education. Most studies indicate that good personal relationships are generally positively correlated with academic performance. However, few studies have compared how different types of personal relationships correlate with academic performance, and the conclusions of existing studies are inconsistent. Based on a large sample, the current study compared how the three closest types of personal relationships among students (with parents, teachers, and their peers) compared with their academic performance.

Methods

Cluster sampling was used to issue questionnaires to students in Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China in 2018 (Study 1) and in 2019 (Study 2). The actual sample size included 28168 students in Study 1 and 29869 students in Study 2 (both studies, Grades 4 and 8), thus totaling 58037 students. All students completed a personal relationship questionnaire and several academic tests.

Results

The results showed that: (1) the quality of personal relationships significantly and positively correlated with academic performance; (2) Among the three types of relationships tested, the quality of student-peer relationships was the most closely associated with academic achievement.

Discussion

This study gives insights into future research directions in this field and also reminds educators to pay attention to the personal relationships among their students, especially peer relationships.

Teacher-student relationship and academic achievement in China: Evidence from a three-level meta-analysis

Past studies of the relation between teacher-student relationship (TSR) and students’ academic achievement (SAA) yielded mixed results, so this study determined the overall link between TSR and SAA, along with their moderators. This three-level meta-analysis of 90 independent effect sizes in 74 empirical studies of 233,961 students showed an overall positive link between TSR and SAA in China ( r  =  .259, 95% CI  =  [.227; .290]). This relationship was higher in: (a) China's central region (.305) than its eastern (.238) or western regions (.166); (b) senior high school (.345), followed by junior high school (.251), then primary school (.221); (c) English (.302), followed by math (.272), Chinese (.269), and science (.202); and (d) females (B  =  .507) than males. These results suggest the value of improving teacher-student relationships in policies and practices.

"In any crisis there is an opportunity for us to learn something new": Australian teacher experiences during COVID-19

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that supported Australian teachers to meet the needs of all learners during COVID-19 lockdowns. A qualitative design was used, and interviews were conducted with teachers who were purposely identified. The participants (n = 5) worked across different educational contexts ranging from primary to secondary school settings. The interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. Five themes were identified related to teachers' intrinsic strengths: passion and commitment, a proactive and organised approach, enhanced flexibility, building relationships and access to online technology. A further three extrinsic supporting factors were identified: supportive school teams, supportive school leadership (empowerment, autonomy and time) and supportive school systems and structures. The implications of these findings are discussed and the need for sharing and applying learnings across the profession are emphasised as an opportunity to further improve the access of every learner to a high quality and inclusive education.

Psychological Strategies and Protocols for Promoting School Well-Being: A Systematic Review

Physical, socio-economic, cultural and mental challenges faced by students have been associated with adverse impacts on school wellbeing, resulting in increased school dropout and deviant behaviour. This systematic review has analysed the present knowledge on factors associated with school dropouts to identify psychological interventions for promoting school wellbeing. A systematic search was done of the ScienceDirect, APA PsycINFO, Emerald and Google Scholar electronic databases. A hand-search was also done of the reference list of the included studies. The initial search resulted in 448 studies, and the search of the references list of the considered studies resulted in 28 more articles. The application of the eligibility criteria resulted in the inclusion of 38 studies in the review. The study established several factors associated with school dropouts and social deviance, such as school climate, school structure, and those defining social interaction among students. Mental and emotional health was identified as the main factor influencing school dropout and social deviance. A positive school climate should be the primary consideration for promoting school wellbeing. School administrations, teachers, and parents should collaborate to positively improve conditions in schools.

Kann erlebte Unterstützung durch Lehrkräfte schulische Erschöpfung und Stress bei Schülerinnen und Schülern abfedern?

Zusammenfassung. Im Laufe der Schuljahre berichten Sekundarschülerinnen und -schüler zunehmend hohe Stress- und Erschöpfungswerte, die den Bildungserfolg und die Gesundheit gefährden. Die Puffer-Hypothese hat gezeigt, dass soziale Unterstützung die Wahrnehmung von Stress abfedern kann. Allerdings wurde das Unterstützungsverhalten der Lehrkräfte unter Berücksichtigung längsschnittlicher Studiendesigns in diesem Zusammenhang selten untersucht und bislang nicht weiter ausdifferenziert. Diese Forschungslücke aufgreifend wird in der vorliegenden Studie mittels Fragebogendaten und latenter moderierter Strukturgleichungsanalyse (LMS) von Sekundarschülerinnen und -schülern ( N = 733; M Alter = 13.78; SD = 0.67; 52% Mädchen) zu zwei Messzeitpunkten untersucht, ob die wahrgenommene akademische Lernunterstützung sowie die sozio-emotionale Unterstützung durch die Lehrkräfte die Entwicklung des allgemeinen Stress- und schulischen Erschöpfungserlebens innerhalb eines Schuljahres moderiert. Die Ergebnisse der LMS zeigen, dass unter Kontrolle von Geschlecht, Schulform und Schulnoten die akademische Lernunterstützung dazu beiträgt, dass die schulische Erschöpfung über das Schuljahr abnimmt. Insgesamt deuten die Ergebnisse darauf hin, dass unterschiedliches Unterstützungsverhalten von Lehrkräften differenziert mit dem Stress- und Erschöpfungserleben von Schülerinnen und Schülern über den Verlauf eines Schuljahres zusammenhängt. Je früher und je kontinuierlicher Schülerinnen und Schüler Unterstützung durch die Lehrkräfte erfahren, desto besser kann Stress und schulischer Erschöpfung vorgebeugt werden.

Towards an inclusive digital literacy: An experimental intervention study in a rural area of Brazil

About half of the world's population remains without access to internet in an era of digital transformation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of implementing the use of logic and mathematics through digital literacy on a population of elementary school students in a town in Northeast Brazil. In a non-randomized experimental longitudinal intervention study, 5th-grade students were followed during one semester. They underwent observational testing during class with the use of scales to evaluate their activities in a digital environment, and they were evaluated with respect to their ability to use digital devices. A logic/math assessment was applied prior to and at the end of the course for intervention group and compared to a control group. Questionnaires were used to assess the educators', legal guardians' and students' perceptions on digital habits and their respective sociodemographic features. The intervention consisted of a 16-h long course developed consisting of 8 2-h long classes which focused on digital technology, digital culture, and computational thinking. The students had a strong interest in the classes. Although some students did not have prior contact with computers, their development was outstanding. Digital literacy competencies and technology-use behavior increased throughout the semester independent of family income and use of digital devices at home. Students progressively improved their interaction with the computer (e.g. touchpad and typing skills) and their confidence in the digital environment. Students' scores on the logic/math assessment showed significant improvement. This was not observed in the control group, demonstrating the importance of this type of intervention even with one provided by a 16-h course.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10639-021-10711-z.

Adaptation and Validation of the Authoritative School Climate Survey in a Sample of Chilean Adolescents

Authoritative school climate is a relevant and novel construct that improves the academic performance and social-emotional development of students. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of reliability and validity of the Authoritative School Climate Survey (ASCS) in a sample of Chilean adolescents. A cross-sectional study was carried out, in which 808 students from 12 schools in Chile participated (55.1% men and 44.9% women), with a mean age of 15.94 (SD = 1.32). The results obtained through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyzes ratified the hypothesized structure of two correlated factors. As expected, evidence of criterion validity showed significant relationships between the measures of authoritative school climate and attitude toward institutional authority. This study provides evidence regarding the psychometric quality of the scale to assess authoritative school climate, allowing its use in the Chilean context.

Maths attitudes, school affect and teacher characteristics as predictors of maths attainment trajectories in primary and secondary education

Maths attainment is essential for a wide range of outcomes relating to further education, careers, health and the wider economy. Research suggests a significant proportion of adults and adolescents are underachieving in maths within the UK, making this a key area for research. This study investigates the role of children's perceptions of the school climate (children's affect towards school and student-teacher relationships), their attitudes towards maths and teacher characteristics as predictors of maths attainment trajectories, taking the transition from primary to secondary education into consideration. Two growth models were fit using secondary data analysis of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). The first model, which looked at predictors of maths attainment in primary education, found significant associations only between positive maths attitudes and increased maths attainment. The second model, which looked at predictors of maths attainment in secondary education, found significant associations between increased maths attainment and positive maths attitudes, decreased school belonging, positive student-teacher relationships and increased teacher fairness. The findings suggest that the secondary education school environment is particularly important for maths attainment.

Managing School Climate Issues at the School District Level: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Several research have studied how school management impacts cognitive and non-cognitive components of students’ lives. However, less is known about what district level administrators do when dealing with issues concerning school climate. This study aims a comprehensive review of the literature on school district level involvement in school climate, with focus on the underlying school climate construct, methods, and associated outcomes. The results show four dominant dimensions: community, safety, risk, and academic performance. District level administrators are concerned not only of students’ but also of teachers’ wellbeing, with special focus placed on teacher stress and burnout. Despite the positive impact of informed decision making on school performance, accountability pressures involved in meeting evaluation criteria may offset the benefits. Our review confirms the need to support district leadership to set the goals and measure the progress of successful strategies to manage school climate issues.

School Cohesion Perception Discrepancy and Student Delinquency

Research suggests that positive school environments contribute to lower levels of school disorder. Studies have also documented stark differences between how students and personnel perceive their schools. The current study examines such "perception discrepancies" as a meaningful dimension of the school environment, investigating the hypothesis that when students perceive their schools as less cohesive than their teachers, they are more likely to engage in delinquent conduct. The University of Missouri-St. Louis Comprehensive School Safety Initiative (UMSL CSSI) study allows comparisons between student and personnel perceptions of school climate among an analytic sample of 2741 students nested in 12 American middle schools (average age = 13.6; 54% female; 39% black; 39% white). The results of a series of hierarchical regression models demonstrate that students engage in higher levels of delinquency when they perceive their school environments as less cohesive, on average, than do school personnel. This suggests that discrepancies among students and personnel concerning aspects of the school climate represent a deficiency in the school's ability to protect against student delinquency.

A longitudinal study of factors predicting students’ intentions to leave upper secondary school in Norway

This article illuminates factors predicting students’ intention to leave upper secondary school. The research is anchored in an ecological theoretical perspective that considers dropout as a multifaceted phenomenon that culminates in the decision to leave school. Based on this, we have used a longitudinal research design to investigate to what extent factors related to students’ experiences predict their intention to leave school early. The sample in this study comprises 1695 students from upper secondary schools in the county of Trøndelag in Norway. We ran descriptive analyses, correlations and hierarchical regression to analyse our data. In the stepwise causal modelling, the independent variables were placed in the same order as the hypotheses were formulated. This enabled us to test each of the independent variables to explain how much variance there was in the dependent variable (intention to leave) beyond those entered in the previous steps. The results show that the students’ grades from elementary school, parental and teacher support and school engagement in upper secondary school are important explanatory factors leading to dropout. Loneliness at secondary school and students’ ability to cope with stressful life events seem to be the two most important predictive factors in relation to the students’ thoughts about leaving.

Communal schools and teacher victimization

Despite data showing that teacher victimization is at least as great a problem as student victimization, far less research exists regarding teacher victimization than student victimization and overall school crime, particularly with regard to the application of criminological theory to explain the victimization of teachers. We address this gap by examining the hierarchical relationship between communal school organization and teacher victimization in a nationally representative sample of 37,497 teachers from 7,488 public schools in the United States. Results showed that teacher experienced less victimization in schools that were more communally organized. We discuss these findings and present implications for school-based delinquency prevention.

Teacher support within an ecological model of adolescent development: Predictors of school engagement

There is a need to further understand the development of student engagement. Ecological models of adolescent development state that proximal factors, such as teacher support, should strongly influence student engagement. Theoretical models also explain concurrent influences from the individual, family, peer, and community contexts. The current study applied an ecological model to the development of five indicators of students' engagement in school. Six hundred and sixty-five full-time Grade 11 students and an additional 54 students who had dropped out of school from Victoria, Australia, completed a Communities That Care survey in term 3 of Grade 10 and term 3 of Grade 11. Grade 10 risk and protective factors from the school (e.g., teacher support), individual (e.g., academic grades, prior engagement), family (e.g., family management practices), peer (e.g., antisocial peer affiliation), and community contexts (e.g., community disorganization) were modeled as predictors of five indicators of Grade 11 engagement (academic engagement, emotional engagement, school discipline, absences from school, and school dropout). Teacher support at Grade 10 had bivariate associations with Grade 11 academic engagement (r = 0.37), emotional engagement (r = 0.35), absences from school (r = -0.14), and school discipline responses (OR = 0.64). The full ecological models explained between 22 and 34% of the variance in engagement; however, teacher support did not predict engagement. Prior engagement and academic grades explained the greatest proportion of variance in students' engagement. Factors from the family, peer, and community contexts made unique contributions to some indicators of engagement. The findings suggest that there is a need to consider student engagement as a long-term process. Implications for improving students' engagement are discussed within an individualized stage-environment fit model of adolescent development.

The Roles of Racial Discrimination, Cultural Mistrust, and Gender in Latina/o Youth's School Attitudes and Academic Achievement

Gender gaps in achievement are particularly pronounced among Latina/os, who are among the population most affected by the academic achievement gap. This study examined the roles of racial discrimination, cultural mistrust, and economic value of education in the academic achievement of urban, low-income Latina/o adolescents. Participants were 346 high school students. Structural equation modeling revealed that the model of associations was a better fit for male students than for female students. Cultural mistrust mediated the relationship between racial discrimination and values of education, and perceived limitations of education predicted lower attendance rates for male students but not for female students. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.

They need to be recognized as a person in everyday life: Teachers' and helpers' experiences of teacher-student relationships in upper secondary school

The aim of this study was to explore how teachers and helpers experience that teacher–student relationship (TSR) is developed and promoted in upper secondary school.

We also explored their experiences of qualities of TSR with students with mental health problems or at risk of dropping out. The study used a qualitative and participative approach; key stakeholders were included as co-researchers. Focus group interviews were held with 27 teachers and helpers. A thematic analysis was conducted. The participants’ descriptions of important experiential dimensions of TSR were clustered around four themes: (1) to be recognized as a person with strengths and challenges in everyday life, (2) collaborative relationships between students and teachers, (3) flexible boundaries in the relationship between teachers and students and (4) organization of classes and procedures set the stage for TSR. Collaborative, emotional and contextual qualities were found important to the development of TSR in upper secondary school. Experiences of negative qualities of TSR can contribute to push students out of school. Teachers and helpers experience that TSR may have the potential to play a role in promoting mental health in students’ everyday life.

Measurement and structural relations of an authoritative school climate model: A multi-level latent variable investigation

This study tested a conceptual model of school climate in which two key elements of an authoritative school, structure and support variables, are associated with student engagement in school and lower levels of peer aggression. Multilevel multivariate structural modeling was conducted in a statewide sample of 48,027 students in 323 public high schools who completed the Authoritative School Climate Survey. As hypothesized, two measures of structure (Disciplinary Structure and Academic Expectations) and two measures of support (Respect for Students and Willingness to Seek Help) were associated with higher student engagement (Affective Engagement and Cognitive Engagement) and lower peer aggression (Prevalence of Teasing and Bullying) on both student and school levels of analysis, controlling for the effects of school demographics (school size, percentage of minority students, and percentage of low income students). These results support the extension of authoritative school climate model to high school and guide further research on the conditions for a positive school climate.

Effect of school belonging trajectories in grades 6-8 on achievement: Gender and ethnic differences

This study investigated the association between trajectories of school belonging across grades 6-8 and academic achievement in grade 8 in an ethnically diverse sample of 527 academically at-risk adolescents. Students reported annually on school belonging. Reading and math achievement were assessed at grade 5 (baseline) and grade 8. Interactive effects of gender and ethnicity were found in the conditional growth models for school belonging. Girls of all ethnicities had identical growth trajectories and reported higher initial school belonging than Euro-American or Latino boys. Latino and Euro-American males had lower initial level of school belonging than African American males, and Latino males had lower growth in school belonging than Euro-American males. In structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses, initial level of school belonging predicted grade 8 reading for girls and grade 8 math for boys and girls, above prior achievement and school and child covariates, but growth in school belonging predicted grade 8 achievement only for African American students. Implications for strategies to improve school belonging among academically at-risk youth are discussed.

Socioeconomic differences in school dropout among young adults: the role of social relations

Background

School dropout in adolescence is an important social determinant of health inequality in a lifetime perspective. It is commonly accepted that parental background factors are associated with later dropout, but to what extent social relations mediate this association is not yet fully understood.

Aim: To investigate the effect of social relations on the association between parental socioeconomic position and school dropout in the Danish youth cohort Vestliv.

Methods

This prospective study used data from questionnaires in 2004 and 2007 and register data in 2004 and 2010. The study population consisted of 3,054 persons born in 1989. Information on dropout was dichotomised into those who had completed a secondary education/were still attending one and those who had dropped out/had never attended a secondary education. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate associations between parental socioeconomic position and dropout at age 21, taking into account effects of social relations at age 15 and 18.

Results

A large proportion of young people were having problems with social relations at age 15 and 18. In general, social relations were strongly related to not completing a secondary education, especially among girls. For instance, 18-year-old girls finding family conflicts difficult to handle had a 2.6-fold increased risk of not completing a secondary education. Young people from low socioeconomic position families had approximately a 3-fold higher risk of not completing a secondary education compared to young people from high position families, and the estimates did not change greatly after adjustment for social relations with family or friends. Poor relations with teachers and classmates at age 18 explained a substantial part of the association between income and dropout among both girls and boys.

Conclusions

The study confirmed a social gradient in completion of secondary education. Despite the fact that poor social relations at age 15 and 18 were related to dropout at age 21, social relations with family and friends only explained a minor part of the socioeconomic differences in dropout.

However, poor social relations with teachers and classmates at age 18 explain a substantial part of the socioeconomic difference in dropout from secondary education.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2391-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Teaching Through Interactions in Secondary School Classrooms: Revisiting the Factor Structure and Practical Application of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System-Secondary

Valid measurement of how students' experiences in secondary school classrooms lead to gains in learning requires a developmental approach to conceptualizing classroom processes. This article presents a potentially useful theoretical model, the Teaching Through Interactions framework, which posits teacher-student interactions as a central driver for student learning and that teacher-student interactions can be organized into three major domains. Results from 1,482 classrooms provide evidence for distinct emotional, organizational, and instructional domains of teacher-student interaction. It also appears that a three-factor structure is a better fit to observational data than alternative one- and two-domain models of teacher-student classroom interactions, and that the three-domain structure is generalizable from 6th through 12th grade. Implications for practitioners, stakeholders, and researchers are discussed.

Using Carl Rogers' person-centered model to explain interpersonal relationships at a school of nursing

Faculty members are viewed as nurturers within the academic setting and may be able to influence students' behaviors through the formation of positive interpersonal relationships. Faculty members' attributes that best facilitated positive interpersonal relationships according to Carl Rogers' Person-Centered Model was studied. Students (n = 192) enrolled in a 3-year undergraduate nursing program in urban Jamaica were randomly selected to participate in this descriptive cross-sectional study. A 38-item questionnaire on interpersonal relationships with nursing faculty and students' perceptions of their teachers was utilized to collect data. Factor analysis was used to create factors of realness, prizing, and empathetic understanding. Multiple linear regression analysis on the interaction of the 3 factors and interpersonal relationship scores was performed while controlling for nursing students' study year and age. One hundred sixty-five students (mean age: 23.18 ± 4.51years; 99% female) responded. The regression model explained over 46% of the variance. Realness (β = 0.50, P < .001) was the only significant predictor of the interpersonal relationship scores assigned by the nursing students. Of the total number of respondents, 99 students (60%) reported satisfaction with the interpersonal relationships shared with faculty. Nursing students' perception of faculty members' realness appeared to be the most significant attribute in fostering positive interpersonal relationships.

Links between teacher assessment and child self-assessment of mental health and behavior among children affected by HIV/AIDS

Teachers are considered to be one of the most important influences in the lives of students. Teachers' assessments of students may be a primary source of information on children's mental and behavioral health; however, this topic has received little attention in research. We examined this issue through linking teachers' ratings of students and mental and behavioral outcomes of children affected by HIV. The hypothesis is that teacher ratings will be predictive of specific child mental and behavioral health outcomes. A quantitative cross-sectional design with self-administered paper-and-pencil instruments was used. The sample included 1221 children (aged 6-18, grades 1-11) affected by HIV including 755 orphans who lost one or both parents to AIDS and 466 vulnerable children living with HIV-infected parents in a central province of China. The corresponding teacher sample included 185 participants. Each child completed an assessment inventory of demographic information and mental and behavioral health measures. Teachers completed a questionnaire about children's school performance. SEM analyses revealed a good model fit according to all fit indices: comparative fit index = 0.93, root mean square error of approximation = 0.07, and standardized root mean square residual = 0.04. Structural equation modeling revealed that problem ratings by teachers were positively associated with child loneliness and behavioral problems, social competence ratings by teachers were negatively related to child depression, and personal growth and social interaction ratings by teachers were negatively related to child loneliness, depression, and trauma. The current study represents a unique contribution to the field in that it recognizes that teachers can be a valuable source of information on children's psychological health. Results from this study have implications for health prevention and intervention for children and families suffering from HIV/AIDS.

Assessment of adolescents' motivation for educational attainment

The Adolescent Motivation for Educational Attainment Questionnaire is a 32-item questionnaire (we drew 20 items from 3 subscales of the Educational Motivation Questionnaire; Murdock, 1999) that was developed to measure multiple potential dimensions of adolescents' motivation to complete high school and enroll in post-secondary education, including competence and effort beliefs; perceived value of education; and peer, teacher, and parent support for educational attainment. We assessed a multiethnic sample (N = 569) of low-achieving students who started 1st grade together in 1 urban and 2 small city school districts. Participants were assessed over 2 consecutive years (Grades 8 and 9 given prior grade retention, or Grades 9 and 10 if not retained). Exploratory factor analyses identified 4 correlated dimensions underlying the questionnaire responses. Subsequent confirmatory factor analyses provided support for a bifactor model, which includes a general factor of students' basic educational motivation, and specific factors of (a) teacher educational expectations, (b) peer aspirations, and (c) value of education. Measurement invariance of the bifactor model was established across students' gender and ethnicity (Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic) and year of testing. Criterion-related validity of the general and specific factors with students' school belonging, student-teacher warmth and conflict, disciplinary practices, letter grade, conduct problems, and behavioral engagement was examined. Practical implications of the measure are discussed.

A Psychometric Evaluation of a Revised School Climate Teacher Survey

The concept of school climate has been an important topic for education and it has been studied extensively over the past several decades. One of the challenges in such a research effort is to develop instruments that effectively and efficiently measure the construct. Literature has documented a number of school climate instruments, most of which target students’ perceptions. A review of recent literature on school climate suggests that it is imperative to assess teachers’ perceptions of school climate. The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure and reliability of a revised version of a teacher survey instrument designed to measure school climate. Based on the data from a comprehensive character education project implemented in an urban school district in 2007 ( n = 380), 2008 ( n = 305), and 2010 ( n = 277), results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed a seven-factor structure across 3 years, indicating a stable factor structure of the revised form. The scales in this abbreviated form demonstrated similar reliability to those of the original form.

Why and when is ethnic harassment a risk for immigrant adolescents' school adjustment? understanding the processes and conditions

Ethnically harassed immigrant youth are at risk for experiencing a wide range of school adjustment problems. However, it is still unclear why and under what conditions experiencing ethnic harassment leads to school adjustment difficulties. To address this limitation in the literature, we examined two important questions. First, we investigated whether self-esteem and/or depressive symptoms would mediate the associations between ethnic harassment and poor school adjustment among immigrant youth. Second, we examined whether immigrant youths' perception of school context would play a buffering role in the pathways between ethnic harassment and school adjustment difficulties. The sample (n = 330; M age = 14.07, SD = .90; 49% girls at T1) was drawn from a longitudinal study in Sweden. The results revealed that experiencing ethnic harassment led to a decrease in immigrant youths' self-esteem over time, and that youths' expectations of academic failure increased. Further, youths' relationships with their teachers and their perceptions of school democracy moderated the mediation processes. Specifically, when youth had poor relationships with their teachers or perceived their school context as less democratic, being exposed to ethnic harassment led to a decrease in their self-esteem. In turn, they reported low school satisfaction and perceived themselves as being unsuccessful in school. Such indirect effects were not observed when youth had high positive relationships with their teachers or perceived their school as offering a democratic environment. These findings highlight the importance of understanding underlying processes and conditions in the examination of the effects of ethnic devaluation experiences in order to reach a more comprehensive understanding of immigrant youths' school adjustment.

The role of social support in students' perceived abilities and attitudes toward math and science

Social cognitive models examining academic and career outcomes emphasize constructs such as attitude, interest, and self-efficacy as key factors affecting students' pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses and careers. The current research examines another under-researched component of social cognitive models: social support, and the relationship between this component and attitude and self-efficacy in math and science. A large cross-sectional design was used gathering data from 1,552 participants in four adolescent school settings from 5th grade to early college (41 % female, 80 % white). Students completed measures of perceived social support from parents, teachers and friends as well as their perceived ability and attitudes toward math and science. Fifth grade and college students reported higher levels of support from teachers and friends when compared to students at other grade levels. In addition, students who perceived greater social support for math and science from parents, teachers, and friends reported better attitudes and had higher perceptions of their abilities in math and science. Lastly, structural equation modeling revealed that social support had both a direct effect on math and science perceived abilities and an indirect effect mediated through math and science attitudes. Findings suggest that students who perceive greater social support for math and science from parents, teachers, and friends have more positive attitudes toward math and science and a higher sense of their own competence in these subjects.