In this short-term longitudinal study, transactional links between teacher-child relationships and behavioral adjustment were investigated in a sample of preschool boys (N = 175) at risk for developing externalizing problems. Teachers (N = 175) reported about the quality of the teacherchild relationship (i.e., Closeness, Conflict, and Dependency) and about children's behavioral adjustment (i.e., Externalizing Behavior, Internalizing Behavior, and Prosocial Behavior) at three occasions within one school year. Cross-lagged path-analytic models showed positive bidirectional associations between Conflict and both Externalizing and Internalizing Behavior from Time 1 to Time 2, but not from Time 2 to Time 3. In addition, there was a transactional sequence with more Conflict at Time 1 leading to less Prosocial Behavior at Time 2 which, in turn, predicted more Conflict at Time 3. Closeness was reciprocally and positively related to Prosocial Behavior over time, and was positively and unidirectionally predicted by Internalizing Behavior. Dependency showed positive reciprocal links with Internalizing Behavior over time, and negatively and unidirectionally predicted Prosocial Behavior. These findings suggest that interventions may be most effective if they adjust their focus and strategy depending on children's specific behavioral and relational needs.

The school-based Playing-2-gether is a 12-week intervention with two components aimed at decreasing child externalizing behavior through improving teacher-child interactions. The first component is rooted in attachment theory and aimed at enhancing teacher-child relationship quality, and the second is based on learning theory and aimed at improving teachers' behavior management. In this three-wave randomized study, effects of Playing-2-gether on the teacherchild relationship quality and on teacher-rated child behavioral adjustment were investigated.To this aim, 175 dyads consisting of male preschoolers with relatively high levels of externalizing problem behavior and their teachers were randomly assigned to Playing-2-gether (n = 89) or an education-as-usual control condition (n = 86). Teacher-rated questionnaires were collected at pre-test, after the first intervention component, and at post-test. At post-test, the intervention group showed a larger decrease in teacher-child conflict, child conduct problems, and child hyperactivity/inattention. Supplementary analyses showed that all positive effects were already visible after the first intervention component and that teacher-child conflict, child conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention did not further reduce during the second component. In addition, an increase in closeness was found following the first component, but subsequently disappeared at post-test.Key words: intervention, teacher-child relationship, externalizing problem behavior, problem behavior, behavioral adjustment, preschool 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 Running Head: TWO-COMPONENT INTERVENTION 2Improving Teacher-Child Relationship Quality and Teacher-Rated Behavioral Adjustment Among Externalizing Preschoolers: Effects of a Two-Component InterventionExternalizing problem behavior (EPB) in early childhood refers to a range of behaviors that are disruptive and/or harmful for others, such as overactive, oppositional, and aggressive behavior (Smidts & Oosterlaan, 2007). This pattern of behavior is predictive for maladjustment later in life, such as conduct disorder, school failure, and mental disorders.However, not all young children showing EPB develop problems (e.g., Dodge, Coie, & Lynam, 2006). To prevent EPB later in life, it is important that we learn more about the factors associated with the stability and malleability of preschoolers' EPB.In addition to parent-child interactions, teacher-child interactions are increasingly considered as environmental factors that influence preschooler behavioral adjustment (Pianta, Hamre, & Stuhlman, 2003). More specifically, a growing number of observational studies have focused on the link between the affective quality of the teacher-child relationship (TCR) and teacher behavior management, on the one hand, and preschoole...

This longitudinal study examines the teacher-perceived effect of a school-based intervention (i.e. Playing-2-gether) targeting teacher-child interactions to reduce externalising problem behaviour (EPB) amongst preschoolers. Boys with the highest score for EPB in the classroom and their teacher participated in the study. Teacher-child dyads (N = 175) from 46 schools were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control (i.e. education as usual) condition. Teacher-rated questionnaires were collected before, during and after the implementation of the intervention. The results of latent growth modelling indicated that intervention boys, compared with control boys, showed a larger decrease in EPB.

Externalizing behavior (EB) in preschool has been found to predict maladjustment later in life. Therefore, it is important to identify children most at risk for continuing EB beyond preschool. To date, a number of questionnaires are available for teachers to assist in identifying those children. A frequently overlooked aspect in this screening process is the consideration of different dimensions of EB instead of the use of broadband scales. Therefore, a brief, user-friendly teacher questionnaire was adapted to capture different dimensions of EB (hyperactivity, opposition, and physical aggression). First, the a priori three-factor structure of this questionnaire was assessed in a large sample of preschoolers (N = 3,610). Second, factorial invariance of the questionnaire over child gender and child home language was investigated. Results confirmed the three-factor structure of the questionnaire. Configural, metric, and scalar invariance was found for child gender and child home language, which indicates that teachers assigned the same meaning to the three EB-dimensions across these groups.

This intervention study suggests that teacher-child interactions predict academic engagement over time, which in turn improves language achievement among preschool boys at risk of externalizing behaviour.