Exploring teachers’ experiences of working with students presenting with conduct problems and Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits: A qualitative interview study-in-progress

Systems of rewards and punishments are common classroom management strategies used in schools in England. For some students, teachers need to adopt alternative strategies. These often place an emphasis on relationship building, creating an additional burden of emotional labour for the teacher. However, students who present with conduct problems and Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits, including low empathy, interpersonal callousness, and restricted affect, are typically resistant to discipline strategies and less responsive to relationship building. There is little research into the potential cost to teacher wellbeing of the additional emotional labour created when working with these students, especially when the likelihood of positive change is low. This work-in-progress study explores how teachers may experience working with students with CU traits, and what strategies they use, both to manage student behaviour and to support their own wellbeing. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with between 15 to 20 teachers working in schools in England. Participants, who report teaching a student with conduct problems, will complete a screening tool to identify whether the student presents with high or low CU traits. The interviews will focus on participant wellbeing and their experiences managing student behaviour. Thematic analysis will be conducted with the interview data.