Teacher Depressive Symptoms and Child Math Achievement in Head Start: The Roles of Family–Teacher Relationships and Approaches to Learning

• Published in: Child development Vol. 92; no. 6; pp. 2478 - 2495
• Main Authors: Jeon, Shinyoung, Jeon, Lieny, Lang, Sarah, Newell, Kaitlyn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley 01-11-2021; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Achievement; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Cognitive style; Depression; Depression (Psychology); Disadvantaged Youth; Family School Relationship; Female; Humans; Learning; Learning Strategies; Male; Mathematics; Mathematics Achievement; Mathematics skills; Mental depression; Preschool Children; Preschool Education; School Teachers; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Teacher Characteristics; Teacher Role; Teachers
• ISSN: 0009-3920; 1467-8624
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13601

This study examined the direct and indirect associations of teachers’ depressive symptoms with children’s math achievement through teachers’ reports of family–teacher relationships and children’s approaches to learning (ATL) in Head Start. This study included 3‐ and 4‐year‐old 1,547 children (49% female; 27% White, 24% Black, 41% Hispanic/Latino, and 8% others) who attended Head Start from fall 2014 through spring 2015. Results indicated that teachers’ depressive symptoms were directly associated with lower gains in children’s math skills over a year. In addition, teachers who reported higher depressive symptoms were less likely to report positive family–teacher relationships. This, in turn, resulted in lower gains in children’s ATL and was associated with lower achievement in math skills (r2 = .69).