Psychological Studies of Teacher–Student Relationships: Factors, Conditions and Consequences

Dear Colleagues,

A wealth of psychological research around the world in every school order has demonstrated the crucial importance of the interpersonal relationships between teachers and their pupils for children’s well-being and school adaptation. To this body of research seminal contributions have come from attachment theory, showing that some dimensions of the student–teacher relationship, namely closeness, conflict, and dependency, are fundamental for children’s well-being and motivation.  

While these extant lines of research are still open for new contributions, other aspects of the student–teacher relationship have been less studied: students’ feelings and effects; the interface between interactions, relationships, and context; the comparative evaluation of different theoretical proposals; and the interdisciplinary ideas suggested from a sociological or philosophical standpoint. Furthermore, applications from basic findings to classroom interventions for students during the teaching process are still at their beginning.

This Special Issue aims to illustrate two complementary perspectives: macro and micro. We would like to receive studies that focus on the impact of instructional interactions (e.g., teacher–child communication and disciplinary incidents) on child health and child psychology, as well as child characteristics (e.g., aggressive or prosocial behavior in addition to psychological and physical health). Empirical contributions as well as reviews and theoretical discussions will also be welcome.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Education Sciences.

Dr. Anna Silvia Bombi
Dr. Anna Di Norcia
Guest Editors

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• teacher–student relationships
• interpersonal relationships
• children’s characteristics
• students’ well-being
• child psychology
• child health