The Association between Student-Teacher Relationship Quality and Students' School Belonging: A Cross-National Perspective
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| Title: | The Association between Student-Teacher Relationship Quality and Students' School Belonging: A Cross-National Perspective |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Tegan Rare (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Educational Psychology. 2026 118(4):465-483. |
| Availability: | American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 19 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Teacher Student Relationship, Sense of Belonging, International Assessment, Secondary School Students, Foreign Countries, Cultural Differences |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Program for International Student Assessment |
| DOI: | 10.1037/edu0001026 |
| ISSN: | 0022-0663 1939-2176 |
| Abstract: | Students' sense of school belonging has an enduring impact on academic and psychosocial outcomes during compulsory schooling and after. Prior research suggests that student--teacher relationship (STR) quality is one of the strongest factors to positively predict school belonging. However, the bulk of this research has focused on samples from developed countries, limiting the generalizability of findings to a diverse range of countries. The only cross-national studies to examine this positive link have used data from over 2 decades ago or focused explicitly on European countries. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the generalizability of the positive link between STR quality and school belonging across 69 diverse educational systems using the most recently published (2022) Programme for International Student Assessment data set. This study expands prior research to investigate the generalizability of results within countries, through comparisons between immigrant groups (i.e., first-generation, second-generation, native-born students). Using responses from 521,293, 15-year-old students from 69 countries, this study assessed the positive link between STR quality and belonging via multilevel linear models. Results demonstrated that the positive link between STR quality and belonging generalized across all countries, although the size of this positive link varied across countries. This positive link also generalized across students from immigrant and nonimmigrant backgrounds. Together, these findings are indicative of a robust cross-cultural pattern. Therefore, teachers across the globe can assist all students in feeling connected to school by fostering caring and friendly relationships with students. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1507471 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Students' sense of school belonging has an enduring impact on academic and psychosocial outcomes during compulsory schooling and after. Prior research suggests that student--teacher relationship (STR) quality is one of the strongest factors to positively predict school belonging. However, the bulk of this research has focused on samples from developed countries, limiting the generalizability of findings to a diverse range of countries. The only cross-national studies to examine this positive link have used data from over 2 decades ago or focused explicitly on European countries. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the generalizability of the positive link between STR quality and school belonging across 69 diverse educational systems using the most recently published (2022) Programme for International Student Assessment data set. This study expands prior research to investigate the generalizability of results within countries, through comparisons between immigrant groups (i.e., first-generation, second-generation, native-born students). Using responses from 521,293, 15-year-old students from 69 countries, this study assessed the positive link between STR quality and belonging via multilevel linear models. Results demonstrated that the positive link between STR quality and belonging generalized across all countries, although the size of this positive link varied across countries. This positive link also generalized across students from immigrant and nonimmigrant backgrounds. Together, these findings are indicative of a robust cross-cultural pattern. Therefore, teachers across the globe can assist all students in feeling connected to school by fostering caring and friendly relationships with students. |
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| ISSN: | 0022-0663 1939-2176 |
| DOI: | 10.1037/edu0001026 |
