Teacher Support as a Moderator of Behavioral Outcomes for Youth Exposed to Stressful Life Events

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between teacher support, life stress, and behavioral outcomes in 103 youth. Participants completed questionnaires regarding life events, social support, personality, and behavior. Moderated regression analyses were conducted using youth perceptions of teacher support and negative life events to predict externalizing and internalizing problems. Results revealed a significant interaction between teacher support and life stress, indicating teacher support successfully moderated the effect of stress on externalizing problems. Main effects for life stress were consistent with previous literature suggesting that higher amounts of stress predict greater externalizing and internalizing problems. Implications for teacher support are discussed.

Exploring relationship among child maltreatment experience in childhood and behavior problems as young adults: Role of social support among college students in Hong Kong

“…This finding indicates that perceived social support from teachers and friends served as a buffer between child maltreatment and behavioral outcomes. This finding is consistent with others showing a decreasing impact of social support associated with increasing behavior problems (Huber et al, 2012; Lansford et al, 2003; Maschi, 2006). These results may reflect that social support protects individuals from the potential negative effects of stressful events.…”

“…Specifically, a number of researchers identified parent, peer, and school-level support for child maltreatment survivors and investigated whether these factors inhibit mental health problems: supportive and nonabusive parents have been reported to serve as moderators, which mitigates the negative effects of child maltreatment; positive peer relationships might buffer the effects of child maltreatment; and social support from teachers has been shown to facilitate positive outcomes for at-risk students as teacher support successfully moderated the effect of stress on externalizing problems (Evans et al, 2013; Huber et al, 2012). For example, a study examining 362 adolescents found that high levels of quality friendships attenuated the association between negative parenting and externalizing behavior in school (Lansford et al, 2003).…”

Perceived Weight Discrimination and School Connectedness Among Youth: Does Teacher Support Play a Protective Role?

“…63 For example, in 1 study, teacher support did not moderate the association between internalizing problems such as anxiety and depression and perceived life stress among adolescents. 64 However, this study found that teacher support did moderate the association between externalizing problems and stress. The authors suggest that it may be difficult for teachers to detect internalized problems compared to externalized problems since they are more pronounced in the classroom.…”

“…The result of internalized stress may contribute to poor social interactions, thus student's inability to establish quality connections with teachers . For example, in 1 study, teacher support did not moderate the association between internalizing problems such as anxiety and depression and perceived life stress among adolescents . However, this study found that teacher support did moderate the association between externalizing problems and stress.…”

Toward a Comprehensive Assessment of Relationships with Teachers and Parents for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities

“…Teachers are thus considered "ad hoc" attachment figures (Verschueren & Koomen, 2012), more likely to display relationships displaying a pattern that differs from those involving parents, or that differs over time. For this reason, positive teacherstudent relationships are likely to serve a particularly important role for otherwise isolated or at risk children (e.g., Baker, 2006;Huber, Sifers, Houlihan, & Youngblom, 2012;Richman, Rosenfeld, & Bowen, 1998).…”