Classroom learning climate profiles: Combining classroom goal structure and social climate to support student school functioning and behavioral adaptation.

Abstract

This study seeks to identify the configurations of classroom teaching practices, defined based on the classroom goal structures (mastery-approach, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance) and social climate (academic support, emotional support, mutual respect, and task-related interactions) to which a sample of 1,453 seventh graders (M age = 12.71; 49.90% girls) report being exposed in their language and mathematics classes. This study also seeks to document the longitudinal associations between these profiles and various indicators of students' school functioning (engagement, achievement) and behavioral adaptation (hyperactivity-inattention, opposition-defiance, internalizing behaviors). Latent profile analyses identified five profiles replicated among boys and girls in language and mathematics classes. However, the prevalence of these profiles differed slightly as a function of sex and subject: Low-all climate (10.01%-19.71%), Highall climate (8.65%-14.82%), Performance climate (26.70%-36.22%), Low performance climate (12.93%-24.84%), and Mastery and positive social climate (19.42%-27.61%). The Mastery and positive social climate and the Low performance climate were associated with the highest levels of school functioning and the lowest levels of behavioral adaptation problems. The Low-all climate and the performance climate were conversely associated with low levels of school functioning and high levels of behavioral adaptation problems. Overall, during the school year, engagement decreased, achievement remained stable, and behavior problems increased. Specific changes within each profile are discussed. Girls were more likely to report exposure to classroom climates associated with the most favorable outcomes, whereas the opposite was true for boys. Considering the multidimensional nature of classroom climate, these results have important theoretical and educational implications for promoting student adaptation. Educational Impact and Implications StatementThis study identified five profiles of classroom learning climate based on seventh-grade students' simultaneous perceptions of the mastery-approach, performance-approach, performance-avoidance classroom goal structure, and social climate (i.e., emotional support, academic support, mutual respect, task-related interactions) present in their classrooms. Two profiles, the Mastery and positive social climate and the Low performance climate, were associated with students' most positive educational (i.e., engagement and achievement) and behavioral (i.e., hyperactivity-inattention, opposition-defiance, internalizing behaviors) outcomes. The study discusses the implications of the results for school practitioners in light of different theoretical perspectives, such as achievement goal theory and self-determination theory.