UC Riverside

Positive student-teacher relationships (STRs) are vital for student learning and success (Ewe, 2019). Students with ADHD, however, are at risk for poorer STR quality and more negative outcomes compared to their typically developing peers (Steinberg & Drabick, 2015; Zendarski et al., 2020). While empirical research has focused primarily on the STRs for typically developing students, comparatively little is known about the factors that may play a role in STR quality for students with ADHD (Rogers et al., 2015). For example, teachers consistently report feeling inadequately prepared to manage the challenging behaviors exhibited by students with ADHD (Greene et al., 2002), which likely impacts their attitude toward and relationship with the student. Unfortunately, this topic has yet to receive the scholarly attention that appears warranted. The present study aims to (1) examine which teacher-level factors influence relationship quality between teachers and their students with ADHD, (2) investigate whether students with ADHD and their teachers perceive their relationship differently, and (3) determine how relationship quality impacts the students’ academic engagement. Salient teacher-level factors considered in this study will include certification level, years of teaching experience, stress levels, knowledge of ADHD, and teacher’s perception of the severity of their student’s ADHD symptoms. The data is projected to be collected approximately halfway through the school year from dyads of teachers and their students with ADHD. It is expected that the number of years teaching and knowledge of ADHD will be positively associated with STR quality; stress levels and perception of ADHD symptom severity are expected to be negatively associated with STR quality, and special education teachers are expected to rate STR quality as more positive than general education teachers. It is also hypothesized that teachers and students with ADHD will differ in their STR ratings, and that both teachers’ and student’s perception of relationship quality will positively impact levels of academic motivation and engagement, whereas symptom severity will have a negative impact. Understanding the factors that may be associated with more positive STR quality for students with ADHD can facilitate identification of potentially malleable factors and thus inform preservice training, in-service professional development, prevent, and intervention efforts to improve these relationships that are so critical for student success.