The Quality of Early Caregiving and Teacher-Student Relationships in Grade School Independently Predict Adolescent Academic Achievement
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| Title: | The Quality of Early Caregiving and Teacher-Student Relationships in Grade School Independently Predict Adolescent Academic Achievement |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Magro, Sophia W. (ORCID |
| Source: | International Journal of Behavioral Development. Mar 2023 47(2):158-168. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 11 |
| Publication Date: | 2023 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Institute on Aging (NIA) (DHHS/NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (DHHS/NIH) National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| Contract Number: | R01AG03945304 T32MH015755 00039202 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education |
| Descriptors: | Adolescents, Academic Achievement, Predictor Variables, Young Children, Caregiver Child Relationship, Child Caregivers, Elementary School Students, Teacher Student Relationship, Early Experience, Interpersonal Relationship, Mothers, Poverty, Mother Attitudes, Measures (Individuals), Rating Scales, Achievement Tests, Time Perspective |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Student Teacher Relationship Scale, Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement |
| DOI: | 10.1177/01650254221137511 |
| ISSN: | 0165-0254 1464-0651 |
| Abstract: | Prior research has demonstrated that teacher-student relationships characterized by high levels of closeness and low levels of conflict are associated with higher levels of academic achievement among children. At the same time: (a) some research suggests that the quality of teacher-student relationships in part reflects the quality of early caregiving, and (b) the observed quality of early care by primary caregivers robustly predicts subsequent academic achievement. Given the potential for associations between teacher-student relationship quality and academic achievement to thus be confounded by the quality of early parenting experiences, the present study examined to what extent children's experiences in early life with primary caregivers (i.e., ages 3 to 42 months) and relationships with teachers during grade school (i.e., Kindergarten to Grade 6) were uniquely associated with an objective assessment of academic achievement at age 16 years in a sample born into poverty (N = 267; 45% female; 65% White/non-Hispanic; 41% of mothers did not complete high school). Early maternal sensitivity, though a strong predictor of later academic achievement, was not reliably associated with either teacher-reports or interview-based assessments of teacher-student relationship quality in grade school. Nonetheless, early maternal sensitivity and teacher-student relationship quality were each uniquely associated with later academic achievement, above and beyond key demographic variables. Taken together, the present results highlight that the quality of children's relationships with adults at home and at school independently, but not interactively, predicted later academic achievement in a high-risk sample. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2023 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1364854 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Prior research has demonstrated that teacher-student relationships characterized by high levels of closeness and low levels of conflict are associated with higher levels of academic achievement among children. At the same time: (a) some research suggests that the quality of teacher-student relationships in part reflects the quality of early caregiving, and (b) the observed quality of early care by primary caregivers robustly predicts subsequent academic achievement. Given the potential for associations between teacher-student relationship quality and academic achievement to thus be confounded by the quality of early parenting experiences, the present study examined to what extent children's experiences in early life with primary caregivers (i.e., ages 3 to 42 months) and relationships with teachers during grade school (i.e., Kindergarten to Grade 6) were uniquely associated with an objective assessment of academic achievement at age 16 years in a sample born into poverty (N = 267; 45% female; 65% White/non-Hispanic; 41% of mothers did not complete high school). Early maternal sensitivity, though a strong predictor of later academic achievement, was not reliably associated with either teacher-reports or interview-based assessments of teacher-student relationship quality in grade school. Nonetheless, early maternal sensitivity and teacher-student relationship quality were each uniquely associated with later academic achievement, above and beyond key demographic variables. Taken together, the present results highlight that the quality of children's relationships with adults at home and at school independently, but not interactively, predicted later academic achievement in a high-risk sample. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0165-0254 1464-0651 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/01650254221137511 |
