The role of teacher behavior and the quality of teacher-child relationships for the adjustment of children with attachment problems.

This project builds on previous work of the supervisor and has two aims: (1) to investigate the school adjustment of children who are less secure attached to their mother: Are there generalizable, short- and long-term protective effects of high quality teacher-child relationships and other interaction dimensions? Thus far, only the protective role of children's relationships with their kindergarten teacher for aggressive behavior in kindergarten was investigated and confirmed for children who were insecurely attached to their mother (Buyse, 2007). However, children who are insecurely attached to their mother are also at risk for several other difficulties at school. These school difficulties may be psychosocial in nature, such as a lower sels-esteem, less peer acceptance (e.g., Verschueren & Marcoen, 1999), or academic in nature, such as a lower engagement in classroom activities and lower academic results (Cassiba, van IJzendoorn, & D' Odorico, 2000; O'Connor & McCartney, 2007; van IJzendoorn, Dijkstra & Bus, 1995). Therefore, a first research question we aim to address is whether a high quality teacher-child relationship can also protect young children against these school difficulties. A second research question concerns the endurance of such protective effects: does a warm, positive relationship with the kindergarten teacher also have long-term protective effects for the further development of insecurely attached children? Finally, we aim to examine whether orther aspects of interactions (such as emotional support and structure; Mashburn & Pianta, 2006; Ryan, Deci, Grolnick, a La Guardia, 2006) with significant adults (teacher, parent) may promote children's school adjustment. To address these questions, we use (a) data that were previously gathered for 237 children in kindergarten and first grade during the FWO-project, and (b) newly collected follow-up data in fourth grade. (2) to investigate the role of sensitivity of the teacher, teacher-child relationship, and other interaction dimensions in childres with attachment deficiencies. To address this aim, new data are collected within a clinical population of children with attachement difficulties.

Keywords:Psychology, Teacher-child relationships

Disciplines:Developmental psychology and ageing