This study investigated the reciprocal effects between teacher student relationship quality (TSRQ) and two dimensions of classroom peer relatedness, peer liking and peer academic reputation (PAR), across three years in elementary school and the effect of both TSRQ and the peer relatedness dimensions on academic self efficacy. Participants were 695 relatively low achieving, ethnically diverse students recruited into the longitudinal study when they were in first grade. Measures of TSRQ and peer relatedness were assessed in years/grades 2-4. Peer liking and PAR were moderately correlated with each other at each time period. As expected, peer liking and TSRQ exhibited bidirectional effects across the three years. Year 3 TSRQ had an effect on Year 4 PAR, but PAR did not have an effect on TSRQ at either time interval. In an additional analysis, Year 4 PAR mediated the effect of Year 3 TSRQ on Year 5 academic self efficacy. Implications for teacher professional development are discussed.Children who begin school with low academic readiness skills are at risk for continued academic difficulties including poor grades, grade retention, and leaving school prior to graduation (Alexander, Entwisle, & Horsey, 1997;Reynolds & Bezruczko, 1993). Low academic performance is predictive of later behavioral and social problems during school and negative economic and mental health outcomes in adulthood (Barrington & Hendricks, 1989;Orfield, Losen, Wald, & Swanson, 2004;Roeser, Eccles, & Freedman-Doan, 1999). An extensive body of literature documents that achievement disparities between Black or Latino students and White students and between socioeconomic groups are present in the early grades and persist throughout schooling (Brooks-Gunn & Markman, 2005;Harris & Herrington, 2006; Leventhall & Brooks-Gunn, 2000). Given these educational disparities and the importance of early achievement to long-term adjustment, researchers have sought to identify factors that impact children's early achievement trajectories (for review see The Future of Children, 2005). This research has identified social relationships within classrooms as important aspects of the early classroom context that have implications for children's academic as well as social and behavioral adjustment (for reviews see Bierman, 2004;Ladd, 1999;Furrer & Skinner, 2003; Hamre & Pianta, 2006). Classrooms are, by definition, social contexts. Students' interactions with teachers and classmates impact their social and emotional adjustment as well as their academic motivation and learning (Connell & Wellborn, 1991;Hughes & Kwok, 2007;Wentzel, 1999). Affectively positive and supportive relationships with teachers and classmates promote a sense of school belonging and a positive student identity (Furrer & Skinner, 2003; Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jan Hughes, 4225 TAMU, College Station, TX. 77840-4225, jhughes@tamu.edu..
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NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript Connell & Wellborn, 1991), w...