By Jenna Somers
Students’ relationships with their teachers, particularly in elementary school, play an important role in supporting their learning and social-emotional development. For students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders, quality relationships with their teachers are especially critical. These bonds can reduce instances of challenging behavior and improve social skills and academic outcomes. Unfortunately, for students with emotional and behavioral disorders, positive relationships with teachers are uncommon, which can exacerbate negative behaviors and reduce learning.
To improve the educational experiences of elementary school students with emotional and behavioral disorders, Blair Lloyd, associate professor of special education at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development, is leading a study to explore adult-child interactions in the context of intensive, one-to-one interventions that focus on teaching academic, social-emotional, and behavioral skills. Lloyd is supported by a four-year, $1.69 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
“Moment-to-moment interactions lay the foundation for adult-child relationships at school. Intensive, one-to-one interventions represent a critical opportunity to explore adult-child interactions and uncover adult behaviors that nurture a positive relationship and supportive learning environment for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. If we can identify ways to strengthen the bonds between teachers and these students, we can possibly improve their academic and social-emotional outcomes,” said Lloyd, the study’s principal investigator.
Lloyd is collaborating with co-principal investigators, Kristen Granger, assistant professor of special education, and Mary Louise Hemmeter, professor of special education and Nicholas Hobbs Chair.
During the first three years of the study, the research team will collect observational data on a range of adult interactive behaviors during intervention sessions for 75 students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. The researchers aim to identify specific adult interactive behaviors that influence and predict student engagement and behavior across intervention sessions, the quality of the adult-child relationship, and changes in academic performance in the classroom. In the fourth year, the research team will evaluate the effects of relationship-building practices on student engagement and behavior through an experimental, single-case study with five additional students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders.
The research team expects this project will generate new evidence on how particular adult interactive behaviors impact student outcomes, as well as potential strategies for embedding relationship building into instruction. The project may also inform future development research on coaching teachers to incorporate relationship-building practices in instruction and intervention.
