Reciprocal Relations Between Teacher–Child Conflict and Aggressive Behavior in Kindergarten: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

TLDR

Teacher–child conflict and children’s externalizing behavior are hypothesized to reciprocally influence each other, yet prior research has largely examined this relationship unidirectionally. The study aimed to test bidirectional effects between teacher–child conflict and aggressive behavior using a cross‑lagged longitudinal design. The authors used a cross‑lagged longitudinal design, collecting teacher reports on conflict and aggression at three points over one year. Structural equation modeling of 148 kindergarteners confirmed bidirectional effects, showing that early aggressive behavior increased teacher–child conflict midyear, which then heightened aggression by year’s end.

Abstract

In recent developmental theorizing, it has been hypothesized that teacher–child conflict and children's externalizing behavior affect one another reciprocally over time. However, the relation between teacher–child conflict and externalizing behavior has been mainly studied from a unidirectional point of view. Therefore, this study aimed to test the hypothesis of bidirectionality by means of a cross-lagged longitudinal design with kindergarten teacher reports on core variables at 3 measurement occasions in 1 year. Structural equation modeling with data of 148 kindergartners provided evidence for the hypothesis of bidirectionality. Specifically, results supported a transactional sequence in which children's aggressive behavior at the beginning of kindergarten led to increases in teacher–child conflict midyear, which in turn led to an increase of aggressive behavior at the end of the kindergarten school year.