Improving Teacher-Child Relationship Quality and Teacher-Rated Behavioral Adjustment Amongst Externalizing Preschoolers: Effects of a Two-Component Intervention

Abstract

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...

A Non-bipartite Propensity Score Analysis of the Effects of Teacher–Student Relationships on Adolescent Problem and Prosocial Behavior

“…Similarly, while a handful of prevention programs improving teacher–student relationships have been developed and successfully implemented in preschools (Driscoll and Pianta 2010; Vancraeyveldt et al 2015), none, to our knowledge, have been developed for teachers of adolescents. The lack of efforts in this area maybe due, at least in part, to lack of direct evidence for the causal effects of these relationships on student outcomes.…”

“…This is because for dyadic variables in multi-level contexts, such as classrooms governed by the interplay of a multitude of social-contextual and individual-dispositional factors, it is far from clear how results from experimental studies generalize to the real world. The few intervention studies that have been conducted found support for the idea that teacher–student relationships impact on behavioral outcomes (e.g., Driscoll and Pianta 2010; Vancraeyveldt et al 2015); however, they did not examine whether the change in behavior was a direct consequence of the achieved teacher–student relationship and were focussed on pre-schoolers; providing limited information about effects later in development.…”

Middle Childhood Teacher-Child Relationships: Insights From an Attachment Perspective and Remaining Challenges

“…Banking Time (Driscoll & Pianta, ), for instance, aims at improving teachers’ sensitivity and affective teacher–child relationship quality by organizing one‐on‐one child‐directed sessions. Building on this and other related interventions (e.g., McIntosh, Rizza, & Bliss, ), Playing‐2‐Gether (Vancraeyveldt et al., ) combines attachment theory and learning theory with the aim of improving both affective teacher–child relationship quality and teachers’ behavioral management. Although these interventions have targeted preschool children, the core attachment‐based principles (e.g., conveying acceptance and sensitivity) may also extend to middle childhood.…”

The role of preschool teacher–child interactions in academic adjustment: An intervention study with Playing‐2‐gether

“…This study aims to address these gaps by investigating the role of teacher–child interactions in academic engagement and achievement using an intervention study among preschool boys with signs of externalizing behaviour. Specifically, a randomized controlled trial study was set up with the preventive intervention Playing‐2‐gether (P2G; Vancraeyveldt, Van Craeyevelt, Verschueren, & Colpin, ; Vancraeyveldt et al ., ), an indicated intervention for externalizing preschoolers and their teachers, aimed at improving the affective quality of the teacher–child relationship and teacher behaviour management.…”

“…Vancraeyveldt et al . () found positive P2G effects on the affective quality of the teacher–child relationship, as well as on children's externalizing behaviour. Intervention effects on other child adjustment outcomes, such as academic outcomes, have not been studied up until now.…”