Measuring interpersonal behaviour in the classrooms: systematic review and reliability generalization of Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction

Abstract This study presents a systematic review and reliability generalization of the widely used Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) to comprehend factors associated with student’s perceptions of teacher’s interpersonal behaviours and to assess the instrument’s reliability. The PRISMA framework guides the identification of relevant papers across three major education databases. From an initial pool of 277 articles, the study narrows down to 34 for detailed analysis, providing an overview of associated factors related to the QTI and conducting a reliability generalization meta-analysis of Cronbach’s alpha for the QTI. The findings emphasize the significant roles of student’s psychological constructs, academic achievement, demographic data, and information from teachers in shaping perceptions of teacher’s interpersonal behaviours. Employing a random effects model, the overall Cronbach’s alpha value of .76 suggests commendable internal consistency for the QTI. Furthermore, a mixed model analysis reveals that the reliability of both the overall scale and its individual subscales, including dissatisfaction, student responsibility, and uncertainty, is influenced by the country in which the study is conducted. This study contributes to the understanding of the psychometric properties of the QTI and elucidates the influencing factors on student’s perceptions of teacher’s interpersonal behaviours.