The role of aggression and social competence in children's perceptions of the child-teacher relationship

The role of children's aggression and three indices of social competence (peer-preferred behavior, teacher-preferred behavior, and school adjustment) in children's perceived relationships with their teachers was assessed. Participants were 1,432 third through fifth graders (688 males, 744 females) and their teachers. The results from hierarchical regression analyses showed statistically significant interaction effects. Poor school adjustment was associated with more negatively perceived child teacher relationships for boys than for girls. In addition, the perceived child-teacher relationship among aggressive children was more favorable among those with high levels of school adjustment than among those who were poorly adjusted at school. Implications for school psychologists and teachers are discussed.