Several teacher motivation variables were examined for relationships to stategies teachers use for responding to problem students. During interviews, 98 elementary school teachers described general strategies to twelve types of problem students: (1) failure syndrome; (2) perfectionist; (3) underachiever; (4) low achiever; (5) hostile aggressive; (6) defiant; (7) passive-aggressive; (8) hyperactive; (9) easily distracted; (10) immature; (11) shy/withdrawn; and (12) rejected by peers. Teachers also discussed specific responses they would make to typical classroom events in which the twelve problems occurred. It was found that teachers whose role definitions stressed general student socialization (rather than a more narrow emphasis on instructing students in the curriculum) made greater efforts to help problem students and were more willing to make allowances for them. Data also indicated that teachers' responses to problem students were affected by causal attributions, teacher-versus-student ownership of problems, and by more specific motives arising from the impact of the students' behavior on teachers' needs, emotions, and values. In dealing specifically with hostile-aggressive students, teachers were found to react differently according to their motivation: (1) by personal concern for these students; (2) by a sense of personal responsibility to prevent students from developing into violent or criminal adults; (3) by survival concerns; and (4) by personal anger or irritation with hostile-aggressive students. (JD)