Reciprocal associations between teachers' use of disciplinary practices and aggression in elementary school students

Abstract

Transactional theories of human development suggest that the association between teachers' disciplinary practices and students' aggressive behavior may be reciprocal. However, no study has tested this possibility. Therefore, this study examines reciprocal associations between teachers' use of disciplinary practices (educational and punitive) and aggressive behaviors in elementary school students. A sample comprising 1038 students (62 % boys) was assessed at the start and end of the kindergarten year and annually from grades one to four. At each assessment, teachers reported how frequently they used disciplinary practices with each participating student and completed a measure of the aggressive behaviors of these students. Results of a latent curve model with structured residuals (LCM-SR) revealed that higher-than-usual levels of teacher-reported kindergarten students' aggressive behaviors in the fall predicted higher-than-usual levels of teacher-reported punitive practices in the spring. Moreover, higher-than-usual levels of kindergarten teachers' punitive practices in the spring predicted higher-than-usual levels of students' aggressive behaviors in grade one. In the following years, no other reciprocal influences were found between punitive practices and aggression. Moreover, using educational disciplinary practices did not lead to a decrease in aggression. The results underscore the need to equip teachers with the skills to manage disruptive classroom behaviors, particularly in kindergarten and during the transition to grade one, to prevent aggressive behaviors from spiraling downward.