Trajectories of teacher-student warmth and conflict at the transition to middle school: Effects on academic engagement and achievement. (April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hughes, Jan N.; Cao, Qian
• Is Part Of: Journal of school psychology. Volume 67(2018)
• Page Start: 148
• Page End: 162
• Publication Date: 2018-04
• Subjects: Teacher-student relationship -- Middle school -- Piece-wise trajectory analysis -- Academic engagement -- Reading achievement -- Math achievement -- Teacher warmth -- Teacher conflict -- Transition to middle school; School psychologists -- Periodicals; School psychology -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; School Health Services -- Periodicals; Psychologues scolaires -- Périodiques; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Psychologie scolaire -- Périodiques; Onderwijspsychologie; School psychologists; School psychology; Periodicals; 155.405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2017.10.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4405

Abstract

Abstract: Using piece-wise longitudinal trajectory analysis, this study investigated trajectories of teacher-reported warmth and conflict in their relationships with students 4 years prior to and 3 years following the transition to middle school in a sample of 550 academically at-risk and ethnically diverse adolescents. At the transition to middle school, teacher reports of warmth showed a significant drop (shift in intercept), above age-related declines. Both warmth and conflict declined across the middle school years. Structural equation modeling (SEM) tested effects of the shifts in intercept and the post-transition slopes on reading and math achievement, teacher-rated engagement, and student-reported school belonging 3 years post-transition, above pre-transition levels of the outcome. For warmth, a drop in intercept predicted lower math scores and engagement, and a more positive slope predicted higher engagement. For conflict, an increase in intercept and a negative slope predicted lower engagement. Implications of findings for reducing normative declines in academic engagement in middle school are discussed.