The Importance of Student-Teacher Relationships for Wellbeing in Schools

This chapter begins with a brief comment on the status of wellbeing in current global health promotion and education agendas. Next, a state-of-the-art account of theoretical models and empirical research about student-teacher relationships and their importance for wellbeing in schools is presented. Specifically, this chapter reviews the contributions of attachment theory, parenting style theory, self-determination theory, social support models, and informal or natural mentoring approaches to the study of student-teacher relationships. Additionally, this chapter provides an overview of empirical research that clearly supports a link between student-teacher relationships and student wellbeing. Finally, changes in student-teacher relationships during the transition from primary to secondary school are briefly delineated, and the importance of student-teacher relationships for secondary school students is underscored.