Emotional security with teachers and children's stress reactivity: a comparison of special-education and regular-education classrooms.
Examined children's exposure and reactivity to negative peer and teacher events in special-education and regular-education classrooms. Participants were 40 children in regular classrooms and 20 children classified as seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) in special-education classrooms. Children completed 7 days of diary data over the course of the school year. SED children reported higher rates of exposure to negative teacher and peer events than comparison children. The self-esteem of both SED and comparison children was reactive to negative peer events in the classroom, but emotional security with teacher (EST) reduced this reactivity. The self-esteem of SED children was also reactive to negative teacher events but, EST, once again, reduced reactivity to negative events. Finally, SED children's perception of maternal warmth moderated their self-esteem reactivity and was concordant with their views of teachers. Results are discussed in light of treatment implications for SED children.
Little
Michelle
M
Department of Psychology, Temple University, USA.
Kobak
Roger
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004519:Education, Special; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D010379:Peer Group; D012649:Self Concept