Does Teacher Support Relate to Student’s Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulation? ADHD Symptoms as a Moderator

Students’ capabilities for self-regulation as well as their self-efficacy for self-regulation (SESR) are important predictors of academic success and wellbeing in school. This study examines the relationship between perceived teacher support (emotional, instructional, and classroom management) and students’ SESR among primary school children from Grades 3 and 4 (N = 1479). We also explore whether students’ self-evaluated symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) moderate the association between perceived teacher support and SESR. The more students perceived their teacher providing emotional, instructional, or classroom management (feedback) support, the higher the students’ SESR. Second, the more students reported ADHD symptoms, the stronger the positive relationship between teacher emotional and classroom management support and students’ SESR. The findings highlight the importance of perceived teacher support for SESR especially, for students experiencing ADHD symptoms. This finding underscores the importance of teacher support in the classroom in today’s inclusive school practices.