Quality of Student-Teacher Relationship and Externalizing Problems in Adolescents: Mediating Role of Self-Esteem

Abstract

Teachers play a significant role in the psycho-social development of children. The current study explored the mediating role of self-confidence in the association of quality of student-teacher relationship and externalizing problems in adolescents. A sample of 300 school children (boys = 50%, girls = 50%) with the ages of 13 to 15 years (M = 14.95, SD = 1.11) selected from mainstream government schools were given the Student Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS), Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Self-Esteem Scale for Children (SESC). Correlation analysis suggested that quality of student teacher relationship and self-confidence were negatively associated with externalizing problems. Furthermore, quality of student-teacher relationship was positively associated with self-confidence. Mediation analysis indicated that self-esteem significantly mediates the association between quality of student teacher relationship and externalizing problems in adolescents. Implications of this study indicated that counseling sessions for teachers and students to boost their healthy relationship can be productive in the development of self-confidence and to reduce their externalizing problems.