Cultural Humility and Taiwanese Junior High School Students: Effects on Teacher-Student Relationships, School Climate, and Behavioral Outcomes

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Cultural Humility and Taiwanese Junior High School Students: Effects on Teacher-Student Relationships, School Climate, and Behavioral Outcomes
Language: English
Authors: Meng-Ting Chen (ORCID 0000-0001-7724-5346), Hao-Jan Luh (ORCID 0000-0002-3198-0916), Yen-Ping Chang (ORCID 0000-0002-3408-472X), Yu-Lin Chang, Jasper Fu-Way Chang
Source: School Psychology International. 2026 47(4):367-387.
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: 21
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Cultural Awareness, Junior High School Students, Junior High School Teachers, Student Attitudes, Student Behavior, Teacher Student Relationship, Educational Environment, Student Characteristics, Teacher Characteristics, Teacher Behavior, Foreign Countries, Predictor Variables, Behavior Problems
Geographic Terms: Taiwan
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
DOI: 10.1177/01430343251392622
ISSN: 0143-0343
1461-7374
Abstract: Cultural humility has emerged as a key relational competency in education, yet few studies have empirically examined its influence in non-Western school contexts. This study investigated how junior high school students in Taiwan perceive their teachers' cultural humility and how these perceptions relate to their behavioral and emotional outcomes, considering the mediating roles of teacher-student relationships (TSRs) and school climate. A total of 871 students (grades 7-9) completed surveys assessing their perceptions of teacher cultural humility, TSRs, school climate, and self-reported internalizing and externalizing problems. Multiple regression and mediation analyses revealed that student and teacher characteristics (e.g., gender, sexual orientation, and subject domain) predicted students' perceptions of cultural humility and behavioral adjustment. Respectful engagement by teachers was associated with fewer behavioral problems, primarily mediated by stronger TSRs. Similarly, perceptions of teacher superiority were linked to decreased internalizing and externalizing problems, also mediated by TSRs. School climate did not emerge as a significant mediator. These findings highlight the relational mechanisms through which teacher cultural humility may impact adolescent development in Taiwanese schools, offering implications for culturally responsive teacher training and school-based support practices.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 20260101
Accession Number: EJ1513715
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Cultural humility has emerged as a key relational competency in education, yet few studies have empirically examined its influence in non-Western school contexts. This study investigated how junior high school students in Taiwan perceive their teachers' cultural humility and how these perceptions relate to their behavioral and emotional outcomes, considering the mediating roles of teacher-student relationships (TSRs) and school climate. A total of 871 students (grades 7-9) completed surveys assessing their perceptions of teacher cultural humility, TSRs, school climate, and self-reported internalizing and externalizing problems. Multiple regression and mediation analyses revealed that student and teacher characteristics (e.g., gender, sexual orientation, and subject domain) predicted students' perceptions of cultural humility and behavioral adjustment. Respectful engagement by teachers was associated with fewer behavioral problems, primarily mediated by stronger TSRs. Similarly, perceptions of teacher superiority were linked to decreased internalizing and externalizing problems, also mediated by TSRs. School climate did not emerge as a significant mediator. These findings highlight the relational mechanisms through which teacher cultural humility may impact adolescent development in Taiwanese schools, offering implications for culturally responsive teacher training and school-based support practices.
ISSN:0143-0343
1461-7374
DOI:10.1177/01430343251392622