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The role of preschool teacher–child interactions in academic adjustment: An intervention study with Playing‐2‐gether
Author(s) -
Van Craeyevelt Sanne,
Verschueren Karine,
Vancraeyveldt Caroline,
Wouters Sofie,
Colpin Hilde
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
british journal of educational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.557
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 2044-8279
pISSN - 0007-0998
DOI - 10.1111/bjep.12153
Subject(s) - psychology , intervention (counseling) , academic achievement , developmental psychology , test (biology) , path analysis (statistics) , student engagement , clinical psychology , mathematics education , paleontology , statistics , mathematics , psychiatry , biology
Background Social relationships can serve as important risk or protective factors for child development in general, and academic adjustment in particular. Aims This study investigated the role of teacher–child interactions in academic adjustment among preschool boys at risk of externalizing behaviour, using a randomized controlled trial study with Playing‐2‐gether (P2G), a 12‐week indicated two‐component intervention aimed at improving the affective quality of the teacher–child relationship and teacher behaviour management. Sample In a sample of 175 preschool boys showing signs of externalizing behaviour ( M age = 4 years, 9 months, SD age = 7 months) and their teachers, we investigated P2G effects on academic engagement as well as on language achievement. Methods Academic engagement was rated by teachers at three occasions within one school year (T1 = pretest, T3 = post‐test, and T2 = in‐between intervention components). Language achievement was assessed by researchers at pre‐ and post‐test, using a standardized test. Results Cross‐lagged path analyses revealed a direct intervention effect of P2G on academic engagement at Time 2. In addition, a significant indirect intervention effect was found on academic engagement at Time 3 through academic engagement at Time 2. Finally, academic engagement at Time 2 was found to predict language achievement at post‐test. A marginally significant indirect intervention effect was found on language achievement at Time 3, through academic engagement at Time 2. Conclusions This intervention study suggests that teacher–child interactions predict academic engagement over time, which in turn improves language achievement among preschool boys at risk of externalizing behaviour.