Positive pupil-teacher relationships play ‘important role’ in pupil wellbeing

A positive pupil-teacher relationship can boost good behaviour and improve wellbeing in young people, a new study suggests.

The study, conducted by the University of Cambridge, was the first of its kind to look at the impact of the relationship with teachers on adolescent behaviour.

It found that a positive relationship with a teacher around the age of 10-11 can have a marked influence on the development of ‘prosocial’ behaviours such as cooperation and altruism.

The impact from a positive pupil-teacher relationship when a child is on the cusp of adolescence was found to last for up to four years - into the ‘difficult’ teenage years - and significantly reduced problem classroom behaviours such as aggression and oppositional behaviour.

Students with a positive relationship with their teachers showed 18 per cent more prosocial behaviour towards their peers and were up to 38 per cent less likely to be aggressive towards their peers, compared to pupils who felt ambivalent or negative toward their teacher.

Dr Ingrid Obsuth, the study’s lead researcher, said: “Teachers play an important role in the development of children. Students who feel supported tend to be less aggressive and more prosocial, and we now have evidence that this is the case from preschool right through to adolescence.

“Educational and school policies should take this into consideration when supporting teachers in fostering their relationships with students.”

She added: “Ideally, building healthy and supportive teacher-student relationships would become part of the curriculum in teacher training and intervention programmes as a way of improving adolescent well-being.”