Profiles of Teachers’ Behavior Management Practices and Student–Teacher Relationships: Longitudinal Impacts on Challenging Behavior and Social Skills for Students With or at Risk for EBD

This study used integrative data analysis to examine profiles of teacher–student relationships and teacher’s use of research-based behavior management practices in early childhood and K–third-grade classrooms with students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). We also examined the association of these profiles with student social skills and challenging behavior. Using an exploratory approach to latent profile analysis, we found significant evidence for the existence of three profiles among our sample of 266 student–teacher dyads that corresponded to three different profiles: (a) Low Rates of Practice Delivery/Positive Relationship; (b) Average Rates of Practice Delivery/Negative Relationship; and (c) Medium High Rates of Practice Delivery/Average Relationship. Nearly 90% of dyads fell into Profiles 1 or 3, with the remaining dyads in Profile 2. Furthermore, we found that profile membership did predict significant differences on later measures of student challenging behavior and social skills. Findings provide evidence that teacher’s use of research-based behavior management practices and relationships with students with or at risk for EBD are multifaceted and highlight the importance of transactional processes in these relationships.