Social-relational classroom climate and its link to primary students’ behavioral problems

Krull, J., Urton, K., Kulawiak, P. R., Wilbert, J. & Hennemann, T.

Forschungsartikel (Zeitschrift)

Zusammenfassung

According to the BELLA study, 15-20% of all students in primary school age in Germany show mild to manifest mental problems. These children are often involved in bullying, have fewer friends in class, and feel less socially included compared to their classmates. Classroom climate is discussed as an approach to foster the academic achievement, the well-being, and the social-emotional development of these children. Previous research has revealed a link between classroom climate and students' behavioral problems. However, classroom climate is a broad construct for which many different definitions and operationalizations exist and less is known about the nexus between behavioral problems and the social-relational classroom climate. In the present study, we focus on the social-relational classroom climate consisting of the students’ feelings of social inclusion, social participation, student-teacher relations, and bullying and address the following research questions: What is the connection between students’ behavioral problems and various aspects of social relations on the individual and class levels? Data were collected from 2045 primary school students (51% male; age: M = 8.57 years, SD = 1.29) from 87 classes in a cross-sectional design utilizing teacher ratings, student questionnaires, and peer nominations. The results indicated that climate at the class level is not simply a reflection of the classroom climate experienced at the individual level. Differences emerged between behavioral problems related to peer interactions and teacher-student relations, with the latter of particular importance for oppositional/disruptive and academically disorganized behavior. Bullying dimensions were related to higher levels of anxious-depressed, social withdrawal, oppositional/disruptive, and academically disorganized behavior.

Details zur Publikation

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022