Explaining teachers' judgement accuracy of students' subjective well-being by students' individual characteristics and the teacher-student relationship

Zurbriggen, Carmen; Schwab, Susanne; Kalkusch, Isabelle; Neuhauser, Alex; Lanfranchi, Andrea; Klaver, Peter

doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2025.102754

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Journal article

Explaining teachers' judgement accuracy of students' subjective well-being by students' individual characteristics and the teacher-student relationship

IPC

Zurbriggen, Carmen ORCID University of Fribourg
Schwab, Susanne ORCID University of Vienna, Austria
Kalkusch, Isabelle ORCID University of Teacher Education in Special Needs, Zurich, Switzerland
Neuhauser, Alex ORCID University of Teacher Education in Special Needs, Zurich, Switzerland
Lanfranchi, Andrea ORCID University of Teacher Education in Special Needs, Zurich, Switzerland
Klaver, Peter ORCID University of Teacher Education in Special Needs, Zurich, Switzerland

2025

English This study investigates whether individual student characteristics and the teacher-student relationship can explain teachers' judgment (in)accuracy of three aspects of students' subjective well-being in early primary education. To this end, we analyse the consistency and specificity of teacher reports and self-reports (N = 1582) of Grade 3 students' subjective well-being by employing a multiple-indicator correlated trait-correlated method minus one model, with explanatory variables assessed in Grades 1 and 3. Our findings indicate that the consistency of teacher reports with students' self-reports is relatively low to moderate. Students' gender, academic achievement, intelligence and behavioural skills are significantly associated with the specificity of teacher reports of students' subjective well-being. The teacher-student relationship explains the specificity in teacher reports, with negative associations for conflicts and positive associations for closeness. This study highlights the relevance of behavioural skills and the teacher-student relationship for the alignment between teachers' judgment and self-reports of students' subjective well-being.

Faculty

Faculté des lettres et des sciences humaines

Department

Département de Pédagogie spécialisée

Language