The Role Of The Teacher-child Relationship In The Socioemotional Outcomes Of Ethnically Diverse And Low Income Children In Daycare Settings
Description
Disparities in health and achievement are greater for low income ethnic minorities. There is a growing evidence base that supportive teacher-child relationships are associated with positive socioemotional outcomes and can act as a protective factor for children, including those at risk for poorer outcomes due to their racial/ethnic backgrounds and socioeconomic status. Research suggests that the reverse is also true. Specifically, children's behaviors can also reciprocally impact the quality of teacher-child relationships. While there is an abundance of research on associations between the teacher-child relationship and child outcomes in school-aged children, this is one of the first studies to focus on these associations in a low-income, ethnically diverse population of preschoolers. In the current study, data on preschoolers (N = 2152) and their teachers (N = 229) were gathered during the beginning and end of the preschool year in the context of a larger study evaluating a kindergarten readiness program (Baker, Kupersmidt, Voegler-Lee, Arnold, & Willoughby, 2010). Teachers completed questionnaires about preschooler social skills, inattention, and oppositional/defiant behaviors. Project staff conducted assessments of preschooler behavior regulation and also gathered information about the teacher-child relationship using observational measures. The influence of teacher-child relationships on preschooler functioning was examined using hierarchical linear modeling. The influence of preschooler functioning on teacher-child relationships was analyzed using linear regression. Results indicate that teacher-child relationships established early in the preschool school year impact preschooler social skills, behavior regulation and oppositional/defiant behaviors later in the same school year. Additionally, behaviors exhibited by preschoolers early in the year appear to influence the levels of sensitivity and permissiveness in teacher-child relationships later in the year. These reciprocal relationships were also moderated by preschooler age, gender and race/ethnicity. Limitations of the study and implications of the findings as they relate to the professional development and training of professionals in preschool settings are also described.