Memories of Positive and Negative Student–Teacher Relationships in Students With and Without Disruptive Behavior

Abstract

A rich body of research using teacher report has shown that students with disruptive behavior are at heightened risk of experiencing negative student–teacher relationships over time. However, no research has compared how students with and without disruptive behavior remember their own past relationships. We conducted autobiographical memory interviews with 96 participants (M_age = 12.31 years, SD = 1.75) from three groups: two containing students with disruptive behavior (one in alternative school, one in mainstream) and one with no disruptive behavior (in mainstream). Whereas all students in the nondisruptive group and most (90.0%) in the disruptive–mainstream group could remember at least one strongly positive student–teacher relationship, one third (32.1%) in the disruptive–alternative school group could not. This previously unidentified subgroup may be particularly at risk of negative school outcomes in the future. Interestingly, 40.5% of students in the nondisruptive group also recalled at least one strongly negative student–teacher relationship. Across groups, students attributed these negative relationships to teacher hostility and injustice. Drawing on these findings, we discuss implications for interventions to encourage positive student–teacher relationships for all students.

Keywords:

• student–teacher relationship
• teacher–child relationship
• disruptive behavior
• memory
• autobiographical memory
• student voice

Notes

1 Because our study was exploratory, with a relatively small sample size and three discrete participant groups, it was not possible to determine the influence of students’ positive and negative relationship memories on these other perspectives (i.e., using both participant group and memory status as predictors simultaneously). We nonetheless highlight the potential for future research to examine such questions.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Australian Research Council (Grant No. DP110103093).

Notes on contributors

Penny Van Bergen

Dr. Penny Van Bergen is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Studies, Macquarie University, Australia. She is also director of the Centre for Children’s Learning in a Social World. She has a PhD in psychology from the University of New South Wales and a focus on children’s development of memory and emotion skills in sociocultural contexts.

Linda J. Graham

Dr. Linda Graham is a professor in the School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. She is also leader of the Student Engagement, Learning and Behaviour Research Group. She has a PhD in inclusive education from the Queensland University of Technology and a focus on the opportunities and outcomes of students with disruptive behavior.

Naomi Sweller

Dr. Naomi Sweller is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Australia. She is also codirector of the Centre for Children’s Learning in a Social World. She has a PhD in psychology from the University of New South Wales and a focus on verbal and nonverbal adult–child interactions and their influence on learning.