Poor Pupil-Teacher Relations Provide Psychological Problems

A study led by Exeter University shows that if you didn’t get on with your teacher in school, you’re more likely to develop psychological issues later in life.

The research asked parents to document how often their children felt unfairly treated by a teacher each year, with ‘a lot’ indicating a problematic relationship.

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Parents were then contacted after three years, where researchers found that children who identified difficulties with teachers were more likely to have developed disorders such as anxiety, depression or behavioural issues.

Despite allowing for other causes of psychological issues, the research – published in the British Journal of Psychiatry – suggests that children who have bad relationships with teachers are:

• 2 times more likely to develop psychological problems

• 2.5 times more likely to be excluded from school

• 3 times more likely to develop behavioural issues

Dr Tamsin Ford, lead researcher, said: “Our findings suggest a clear association between poor teacher-pupil relationships and the presence of psychiatric disorder at primary and secondary school.”

She also said that further research is needed to establish cause and effect.