Cultural humility and Taiwanese junior high school students: Effects on teacher-student relationships, school climate, and behavioral outcomes

Cultural humility has emerged as a key relational competency in education, yet few studies have empirically examined its influence in non-Western school contexts. This study investigated how junior high school students in Taiwan perceive their teachers’ cultural humility and how these perceptions relate to their behavioral and emotional outcomes, considering the mediating roles of teacher–student relationships (TSRs) and school climate. A total of 871 students (grades 7–9) completed surveys assessing their perceptions of teacher cultural humility, TSRs, school climate, and self-reported internalizing and externalizing problems. Multiple regression and mediation analyses revealed that student and teacher characteristics (e.g., gender, sexual orientation, and subject domain) predicted students’ perceptions of cultural humility and behavioral adjustment. Respectful engagement by teachers was associated with fewer behavioral problems, primarily mediated by stronger TSRs. Similarly, perceptions of teacher superiority were linked to decreased internalizing and externalizing problems, also mediated by TSRs. School climate did not emerge as a significant mediator. These findings highlight the relational mechanisms through which teacher cultural humility may impact adolescent development in Taiwanese schools, offering implications for culturally responsive teacher training and school-based support practices.