A self-determination theory perspective on motivation assumes that basic need support is a prerequisite for motivation, achievement, and well-being in several domains of life. In the present cross-sectional study, a representative sample of 2.594 Norwegian students in their final year of lower secondary education and their first year of upper…

Some researchers suggest that the way a teacher is perceived during the first encounter with a classroom group resembles, and therefore is predictive of, later classroom processes as perceived by students. This study investigated the degree to which interpersonal ratings (i.e., control and affiliation), given by secondary school students to…

Experiencing bullying as a victim is associated with negative health and health behavior outcomes, including substance use, among adolescents. However, understandings of protective factors--factors that enhance adolescents' resilience to the negative consequences of bullying--remain limited. The current study investigates whether teacher…

Recent research shows that teacher support is predictive of student outcomes, such as engagement and effort. In this study, we explored the relation between students' perceptions of teacher instrumental support in mathematics lessons and their effort in mathematics. We also tested whether this relation was mediated through students'…

Touch between people is associated with several outcomes, including reduced stress, more positive mood, enhanced feelings of closeness, and positive behavioral change. However, the potential utility of touch rarely has been examined in a college sample, with teachers touching their students. In the present study, we used instrumental touch…

We present a conceptualization and a 2 year program of autonomy-supportive I-Thou dialogue among teachers and students that is based on self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan in "Psychol Inq" 11(4):227-268, 2000) and Buber's (1960) philosophy. The program was applied in 18 seventh grade classes (420 students). Findings showed: (a) increases in…

This article addresses the issue of bullying and analyzes a set of accounts that were collected from fourteen focus group interviews with 90 secondary school children. The aim of the research was to map out the ways in which young adolescents talk about their social relations at school in relation to home and the ways they construct bullying as a…

In an effort to understand teacher-student relationships much research has investigated how teacher expectations of student performance in the classroom affect achievement growth. However, little research has focused on how teacher expectations of students' educational attainment are formed. In this paper, we examine how students' high school…

The present study investigates the association between students' Eysenckian personality traits and their perceptions of teacher interpersonal behavior. A sample of 273 Cypriot public primary school fifth and sixth graders, as well as their teachers participated in the study. Students completed a three-part self-report questionnaire of: (a) a…

This article presents the results of a study carried out with the aim to: (1) analyze secondary school students' and their teachers' ideal representations of classroom justice, (2) deepen the topic of students' sense of injustice, and (3) explore the links between students' perceived injustice and their psychological engagement in school, measured…

Behaviour management is acknowledged as a leading psychological method to reduce classroom conflict by applying "rational choice" techniques. But it falls short in schools where poor academic results are reproduced, as is illustrated in an analysis of misbehaviour in an Australian rural school. It is argued that explanations of behaviour…

Teachers often approach teaching with an energy and enthusiasm to inspire their students with their skills and knowledge. However, when faced with students who are not fully engaged in their learning, teachers sometimes find it difficult and frustrating to communicate the subject knowledge. This paper looks at the importance of teachers reflecting…

The present study prospectively explored the main and interactive effect of negative life events and social support from teachers and classroom peers on depressive symptoms in a sample of 198 (111 females, 87 males) students in a Norwegian senior high school. In the longitudinal multivariate analyses, self-reported depressive symptom levels at…

Communally organized, as opposed to bureaucratically organized, schools are expected to provide significant advantages to students in terms of their cognitive and social growth. However, for students to avail themselves of these benefits, they need to experience school as a community. One factor that may influence whether students view their…

According to Self-Determination Theory, feelings of relatedness and value of a behavior are critical factors that affect internalization and integration. The purpose of the current study was to identify factors that influence relatedness and value in an academic setting. Specifically, the study investigated the effects of autonomy, mastery goals,…