TY - JOUR
T1 - Elementary students’ effortful control and academic achievement
T2 - The mediating role of teacher–student relationship quality
AU - Hernández, Maciel M.
AU - Valiente, Carlos
AU - Eisenberg, Nancy
AU - Berger, Rebecca H.
AU - Spinrad, Tracy
AU - VanSchyndel, Sarah K.
AU - Silva, Kassondra M.
AU - Southworth, Jody
AU - Thompson, Marilyn
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2017/3/3
Y1 - 2017/3/3
N2 - This study evaluated the association between effortful control in kindergarten and academic achievement one year later (N = 301), and whether teacher–student closeness and conflict in kindergarten mediated the association. Parents, teachers, and observers reported on children's effortful control, and teachers reported on their perceived levels of closeness and conflict with students. Students completed the passage comprehension and applied problems subtests of the Woodcock–Johnson tests of achievement, as well as a behavioral measure of effortful control. Analytical models predicting academic achievement were estimated using a structural equation model framework. Effortful control positively predicted academic achievement even when controlling for prior achievement and other covariates. Mediation hypotheses were tested in a separate model; effortful control positively predicted teacher–student closeness and strongly, negatively predicted teacher–student conflict. Teacher–student closeness and effortful control, but not teacher–student conflict, had small, positive associations with academic achievement. Effortful control also indirectly predicted higher academic achievement through its positive effect on teacher–student closeness and via its positive relation to early academic achievement. The findings suggest that teacher–student closeness is one mechanism by which effortful control is associated with academic achievement. Effortful control was also a consistent predictor of academic achievement, beyond prior achievement levels and controlling for teacher–student closeness and conflict, with implications for intervention programs on fostering regulation and achievement concurrently.
AB - This study evaluated the association between effortful control in kindergarten and academic achievement one year later (N = 301), and whether teacher–student closeness and conflict in kindergarten mediated the association. Parents, teachers, and observers reported on children's effortful control, and teachers reported on their perceived levels of closeness and conflict with students. Students completed the passage comprehension and applied problems subtests of the Woodcock–Johnson tests of achievement, as well as a behavioral measure of effortful control. Analytical models predicting academic achievement were estimated using a structural equation model framework. Effortful control positively predicted academic achievement even when controlling for prior achievement and other covariates. Mediation hypotheses were tested in a separate model; effortful control positively predicted teacher–student closeness and strongly, negatively predicted teacher–student conflict. Teacher–student closeness and effortful control, but not teacher–student conflict, had small, positive associations with academic achievement. Effortful control also indirectly predicted higher academic achievement through its positive effect on teacher–student closeness and via its positive relation to early academic achievement. The findings suggest that teacher–student closeness is one mechanism by which effortful control is associated with academic achievement. Effortful control was also a consistent predictor of academic achievement, beyond prior achievement levels and controlling for teacher–student closeness and conflict, with implications for intervention programs on fostering regulation and achievement concurrently.
KW - Academic achievement
KW - Effortful control
KW - Elementary school
KW - Kindergarten
KW - Teacher–student relationship quality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85015880848&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ecresq.2016.10.004
DO - 10.1016/j.ecresq.2016.10.004
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85015880848
SN - 0885-2006
VL - 40
SP - 98
EP - 109
JO - Early Childhood Research Quarterly
JF - Early Childhood Research Quarterly
ER -