Abstract:
Teacher reports of children's relationship, competence and problem behaviors
are important sources of information in school psychology. This study examines
teacher-child relationships as correlates of children's school adjustment paradigm.
Patterns of kindergarten teacher's perceptions of their relationship with children were
described in a cluster analysis for 305 children on a teacher report measure.
Three patterns of relationships were described: More positively involved , functional
average, and negatively involved . Children in the three patterns significantly differ in
school adjustment. Children with whom kindergarten teachers reported a positive
relationship were better adjusted in school and had warm, close and communicative
relationships than those whom the teachers report negative relationships.