Examining teacher-child relationship profiles in forecasting children's self-regulation and social-emotional skills: A multilevel latent profile approach

Numerous studies have highlighted the crucial role of teacher-child relationships in children's self-regulation and social-emotional skills. However, whether teacher-child relationship profiles are linked to self-regulation and social-emotional skills remains unclear. The present study employed multilevel latent profile analysis (MLPA) to explore the teacher-child relationship profiles and their associations with self-regulation and social-emotional skills at both the child and class levels. Utilizing data from 584 children nested in 42 preschool classes, single-level LPA unveiled three teacher-child relationship profiles associated with different self-regulation and social-emotional skills. Notably, closeness and conflict emerged as significant factors in profile assignments. Children with low closeness and high conflict tended to experience challenges in self-regulation and social-emotional skills, whereas those with moderate to high closeness reported better outcomes. Furthermore, MLPA identified three class profiles based on the prevalence of children's profiles and their relationships with different class-mean self-regulation and social-emotional skills. Children's age, gender, and teachers' teaching experience were identified as factors related to child- and class-level profiles. These findings emphasize the interplay between teacher-child relationship profiles and classroom dynamics in relation to children's self-regulation and social-emotional skills within a Chinese cultural context.