The Relationship Between Student Well-Being and Teacher–Student and Student–Student Relationships: A Longitudinal Approach Among Secondary School Students in Switzerland

The rapid changes in today’s world pose a great challenge to student wellbeing, especially in secondary school, where age-related transitions occur. Many school systems have recognized the importance of fostering both academic achievement and student well-being. Classroom relationships with teachers and peers play a key role in students’ academic, social, and emotional development, yet little is known about their longitudinal and reciprocal effects on well-being. This study adopts a multidimensional approach to student well-being, examining its relations with teacher–student closeness and conflict, as well as student–student cohesion, using two waves of data one year apart in a structural equation model (SEM). The participants were Grade 7 (N = 757) and Grade 8 (N = 720) students in Switzerland. The findings reveal no significant associations between student well-being, teacher–student closeness, and peer cohesion. However, teacher–student conflict at measurement point 1 is positively associated with physical complaints and social problems at measurement point 2, while a positive academic self-concept negatively predicts teacher–student conflict over time. These results highlight the impact of teacher–student conflict on student well-being and suggest enhancing the academic self-concept could help mitigate such conflicts. Insights into these relations can help educators and researchers identify and develop useful strategies for promoting student well-being.