ABSTRACT

Social-behavioral functioning during early childhood is associated with children’s academic and social success concurrently and over time. This study explored how concurrent, year-to-year, and sustained parent–teacher and student–teacher relationships predicted children’s social skills and problem behaviors across the preschool to Grade 1 transitions. Participants were 233 children (M = 5.32 years [SD = 0.27] in preschool), their parents, and their preschool (n = 65), kindergarten (n = 116), and first grade (n = 117) teachers enrolled in low-income public schools in rural and urban communities. Research Findings: Children’s relationships with teachers were associated with social-behavioral functioning immediately and over time. Positive, sustained relationships from preschool through first grade predicted social-behavioral benefits. Conflictual relationships related to higher problem behaviors. Parent–teacher relationships as reported by teachers predicted children’s positive social-behavioral functioning in the same year. Parents’ reports of close relationships with teachers predicted more problem behaviors in the following year. Sustained relationships between parents and teachers during the transition from preschool through first grade predicted improved social skills and fewer problem behaviors over time. Practice or Policy: Providing targeted training and support for educators to develop and maintain relationships with students and parents can improve social-behavioral outcomes for children across the preschool to 1^st grade transition.

摘要

儿童早期的社会行为功能与儿童的学业和社会成功同时并随着时间的推移而相关。本研究探讨了同时、逐年和持续的家长-教师和学生-教师关系如何预测儿童在学前班到一年级过渡期间的社交技能和问题行为。参与者是 233 名儿童（M = 5.32 岁 [SD = 0.27] 在学前班）、他们的父母、他们的学前班（n = 65）、幼儿园（n = 116）和一年级（n = 117）教师农村和城市社区的收入公立学校。研究成果：儿童与教师的关系与社会行为功能直接相关，并且随着时间的推移。从学前班到一年级的积极、持续的关系预测了社会行为方面的好处。与更高问题行为相关的冲突关系。教师报告的亲子关系预测了儿童在同一年的积极社会行为功能。父母与老师关系密切的报告预示着接下来的一年会出现更多的问题行为。在从学前班到一年级的过渡期间，父母和老师之间的持续关系预示着随着时间的推移，社会技能会有所提高，问题行为也会减少。实践或政策：为教育工作者提供有针对性的培训和支持，以发展和维持与学生和家长的关系，可以改善从学前班到一年级过渡的儿童的社会行为^结果。