Mainstream school integration of students with behavioral difficulties: Links between teacher attitudes, stress, and quality of teacher-student relationship
Students with behavioral difficulties are among those with the lowest level of mainstream integration. Several variables specific to teachers are considered to have an impact on the integrative process of these students. This article assesses associations between some of these variables, including teacher stress and the quality of his relationship with the student with behavioral difficulties, in establishing a positive or negative attitude toward their integration. The sample consists of 221 teachers (77 men and 144 women) at the secondary level. Regression analysis highlight the predictive power of both stress and the quality of teacher-student relationship on teachers’ attitude. The addition of secondary variables (length of teaching experience, initial education related to students with behavioral difficulties, teachers’ gender) in the regression model contributes to the overall effect of interaction, suggesting they have a moderating effect. In order to improve teachers’ attitudes towards school integration of these students, these results demonstrate the need to act both on teachers’ stress in teaching them, and on the quality of the teacher-student relationship.