Research Ideas and Outcomes : Research Idea
|
Corresponding author: E'lexis A Brewer (elexisbrew@yahoo.com)
Received: 28 Sep 2017 | Published: 10 Oct 2017
© 2017 E'lexis Brewer
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation: Brewer E (2017) “Acting Out”: Teacher-Child Attachment Bonds And Their Affect on Adolescent Disobedience Moderated by Students with Low Self-Esteem. Research Ideas and Outcomes 3: e21280. https://doi.org/10.3897/rio.3.e21280
|
|
This paper proposes whether teacher-child attachment bonds have an effect on adolescent disobedience and whether adolescents with low self-esteem moderate the effect. In this study, the definition of disobedience is deviance and delinquency. The literature states that the teacher-child relationship demonstrates positive and negative outcomes in academic performance however it does not account for self-esteem or disobedience outside the school. I hypothesize attachment bonds to show a negative relationship with students who demonstrate low self-esteem and a positive trend in disobedience. To test my hypotheses, I use various coded questionnaires from Wave I and II of the ADD Health Survey that code for academics/education, delinquency, fighting and violence, drug use, and other deviant or disobedient behavior. In order to test, I would use cross tabulation to compare students’ attachment, self-esteem levels, and disobedience. All three variables require no specific order, as nominal variables, so they can compare against each other without regard for sequence. In summary, if implemented my study will add to the current research literature on the teacher-child relationship and potential evidence-based intervention programs for students.
teacher; child; self esteem; students; relationship; attachment; social
Previous research suggests that the teacher-child relationship demonstrates potential positive and negative outcomes in academic performance. According to
Although vast areas of research explore the teacher-child relationship, little research dictates its emphasis outside of the school structure. Many researchers cite improved academic performance and some reduction in disciplinary action however they do not account for self-esteem or disobedience outside the school structure. If a teacher displays close attachment with a student, it can be surmised that self-esteem or sense of self has been improved through this bond. Research shows that the primary caregivers play a significant role in adolescent development and I apply this same concept to the teacher-child relationship. Also, teachers have also reported feeling a sense of low self-esteem and helplessness through poor student-teacher relationship therefore it is understandable to consider that students exemplify this same feeling from the relationship (
Most past research has focused on peer relationships instead of the teacher-child relationship (
Due to teacher’s profound effect on students, we have discovered that the teacher’s relationship can improve children’s academic and behavioral outcomes (regarding school disciplinary action) (
Past studies pull from the attachment theory in their assessment of the teacher-child relationship and its effect on adolescent academic performance (
Previous research also suggests that the relationship provides support for not only the child but also the educator. Strong relationships with students create motivation to teach (
By examining teacher support we explore sense of belonging, which gives us one determinate for the sense of self (
Sense of belonging can also be identified as a component of a child’s self-esteem. In
Sense of belonging can also be readily identified as self-esteem in regards to social acceptance and interaction from peer perception through teacher’s favoritism for specific students. In
Although all of these articles are beneficial to my proposed research many articles rarely discuss the importance of the teacher in the “teacher-child relationship” and how it can play an important role in adjustment for them as well. I refer to
As mentioned, previous research demonstrates a correlation between significant attachment in the teacher-child relationship and its effect on academic performance. I propose to apply that concept outside of the school structure in the form of adolescent disobedience. Also, I propose that the attachment bond is moderated by adolescent self-esteem. I hypothesize that weak teacher-child attachment bonds result in adolescent disobedience as moderated by those with low self-esteem. Although, all students can exhibit high or low self-esteem, it is my hypothesis that those with weaker bonds will exhibit lower levels of self-esteem and thus more likely to “act out” in disobedience. Therefore, I expect attachment bonds to show a negative relationship with students who demonstrate low self-esteem and a positive trend in disobedience. To counteract the current limitations in this area of research, I will investigate (1) whether or not middle school teachers describe experiencing strong or weak relationships with their students, (2) whether the students demonstrate a lower levels of self-esteem and (3) whether they perform acts of disobedience outside of school as measured on an index. I first hypothesized that the effectiveness of teacher-child attachment bonds affects adolescent disobedience. To test my first hypothesis, I would utilize various coded questionnaires from Wave I and II of the ADD Health Survey that code for academics/education, delinquency, fighting and violence, drug use, and other deviant behavior (Suppl. material
Wave I includes data collection between 1994 and 1995 using a clustered sampling design. With the school as main area of study, it is much easier to access most participants, peers, and teachers through this method. The primary sampling frame for Add Health is a database collected by through 80 high schools selected to represent schools in the United States. These schools are a reflection of course, with respect to region of country, size, type, and ethnic background. Their recruitment tactics for the study resulted in a pair of schools in each of 80 communities with a total of 132 schools in the study. The In-School Questionnaire was given to over 90,000 students in grades 7 through 12 in a 45-60 minute time period. Parents were also notified prior to the study if they didn’t want their children to participate. In order to record the data, each school provided a student roster with assigned numbers for each participant. These rosters were collected and destroyed afterward.
Based on the data from the In-School Questionnaire, four ethnic-group samples were determined including: 1,038 Blacks, 334 Chinese, 450 Cuban, and 437 Puerto Rican.
All enrolled students in 16 schools were selected for in-home interviews. These were two large schools and 14 small schools. One of the large schools was predominantly white and located in a mid-sized town and the other was diverse and located in a major area.
All respondents received the same interview, which was one to two hours long, whoever, in this instance no paper questionnaires were used for confidentiality. Instead, all data were recorded on laptop computers. Care was taken to screen respondents on age and experience so that only appropriate questions were asked. Additional questions concerning the co-occurrence of risk behaviors were asked of respondents who indicated multiple behaviors, for example, fighting while using drugs or drinking while carrying a weapon.
In contrast, Wave II utilizes in-home interviews as a follow-up to the in-home interviews with the adolescents from the previous wave a year later. The second wave surveyed 15,000 of the same students one year after Wave I. Some students are not accounted for due to grade eligibility and as result a 65 adolescents were added to the sample for Wave II. Considering this addition, it is possible to notice a difference in the range of responses in the data. Wave II in-home interviews took place in mid to late 1996. Wave I and II included School Administrator Telephone Interviews, however, for the purpose of the study I decided they were irrelevant to my research group. The ADD Health Survey provides a great foundation for research already conducted and applicable to future research like the study that I am proposing. Also, ADD Health addresses a large range within my index of disobedience in order to effectively assess the extent of my research question including: academics, fighting, drug use, and delinquency.
In order to test my research question, I would use cross tabulation to compare students’ attachment, self-esteem levels, and disobedience. All 3 variables require no specific order, as nominal variables, so they can be compared against each other without regard for sequence. Although, my study proposal demonstrates potential application in the research world, it also deserves critique in some areas.
Since my study relies heavily on secondary data to assess children’s disobedience I suggest maybe a future study using more intensive interviewing for a primary data approach. It is possible that this method could give a new perspective on the topic. One large discrepancy with the data set references the lack of questions addressed at self perception or self-esteem, a very common issue during the adolescent developmental stage. This fact poses a problem for my research question that could use some revision in a possible future study.
In addition, although Caucasians are the racial majority, little of this fact is evident in the questionnaire information from Wave I and II. I understand the balance to express different regions across the United States but the racial majority is still a very important component of determining results. In addition, it is unclear about the race or ethnic background of the interviewers, so it I reasonable to consider that their ethnic background may have played a part in how participants chose to respond. If a respondent identified with their interviewer they may feel compelled to answer in a particular way. It is important to notice that each wave also explores a different stage of development, as each wave demonstrates new information to add to the knowledge of the research world for a different stage. By utilizing various stages of development growth, the researchers add significantly to the literature in studying teacher-child interaction at critical stages.
In summary, if implemented my study will add to the current research literature on the teacher-child relationship as well as adolescent disobedience. I hope that future impications could lead to evidence-based intervention programs for students. As previous research explains, teachers play an important role in students’ adjustment and, “developmental outcomes [thus] further examination of factors associated with these relationships is warranted” (
This proposal would not have been possible without the academic support of North Carolina State University Sociology Department. This research was done while the author was a student at the univeristy. Most importantly, I would like to dedicate this work to my grandfather Bertram C. Brewer, may he rest in peace.
North Carolina State University