The influence of teacher-students relationships on the development of deviant and delinquant behaviors in adolescence
This study explores the relations between the teachers-students relationships in adolescence and the development of deviant behaviours and delinquency. Two facets of teachers-students relationships were considered: (a) the quality (warmth and conflicts) of the interpersonal relationships that a student personally shares with his/her teachers; (b) the overall quality of teachers-students relationships in school (relational climate, pedagogical practices, and classroom management practices). The analyses were based on a longitudinal sample of 1171 students (52.9% males; mean age of 12.75 years) from the greater Montreal area who completed self-reported questionnaires in class three times during their first year of secondary school (at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the school year). Results showed that deviant behaviours were more strongly influenced by interpersonal relationships with the teachers whereas delinquency was more strongly influenced by both facets of teachers-students relationships. Evidence of interaction effects with gender were also found and showed that: pedagogical practices predicted deviant behaviours and delinquency only in boys, whereas the effects of interpersonal conflicts with teachers was more pronounced on girls levels of deviant behaviours. Finally, the effects of teachers-students relationships seemed more pronounced or limited to, students who already present elevated or moderate levels of deviant behaviours and delinquency at the beginning of high schools.