| A growing body of research has documented the importance of teacher-child relationships in children's social and academic adjustment. A majority of studies examining teacher-child relationship quality have been limited by their teacher-only perspectives. Recently, some researchers have included child perspectives, and other researchers have included observer perspectives, in the assessment of relationship quality between elementary school teachers and children. However, no study has compared teacher and child ratings of relationship quality for preschoolers. Moreover, no study to date has compared teacher, child, and observer perspectives of relationship quality for children of any age. The goals of the present study were to (a) develop and provide psychometric information on a new measure of preschool-aged children's perceptions of their relationships with their teachers, (b) examine the convergence among children's teachers' and observers' perspectives on the quality of the teacher-child relationship, and (c) examine whether child sex and temperament are differentially associated with relationship quality as a function of informant. Additionally, exploratory, descriptive analyses were conducted to examine whether teacher-child relationship quality, in terms of average levels, range, and distribution across dyads, show variation as a function of teacher sensitivity.;As part of a short-term longitudinal study, a subsample of 77 ethnically diverse children (39 boys, 38 girls) with an average age of 54 months was assessed during the year prior to kindergarten. Teacher-child relationship quality and teacher sensitivity were examined using observer, teacher, and child reports. Parent ratings of children's temperament also were obtained.;Results indicate that a new instrument designed to measure preschool-aged children's perceptions of their relationships with their teachers was both reliable and valid (the Feelings About My School and Teachers, FAMST). Children's perspectives were significantly associated with observers' perspectives on two separate measures of relationship quality. Teachers' perspectives were not significantly correlated with observer or child reports on any measure of relationship quality. The quality of relationships between teachers and children did not differ by child sex or temperament. Children in classrooms with sensitive teachers experienced more positive relationship quality than children in classrooms with less sensitive teachers. Wide variations of relationship quality scores existed within classrooms. Relationship quality scores within individual classrooms overlapped considerably with relationship quality scores for teacher-child dyads in other classrooms. These findings suggest that preschool children are capable of providing valid, reliable reports of their relationship quality with teachers. In addition, reports of relationship quality may vary by relationship informant, but do not vary by child characteristics. Finally, children in classrooms with sensitive teachers are more likely to establish positive relationships with their teachers than are children with less sensitive teachers. |
