THE BIDIRECTIONAL ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN THE QUALITY OF SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AT SCHOOL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN KOSOVO

Psychological wellbeing among children and adolescents with disabilities is closely associated with the quality of their social relationships, particularly within school environments. This study examined the bidirectional relationships between teacher–student relationships, peer relationship quality, and psychological wellbeing among children and adolescents with disabilities in Kosovo. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed with a purposive sample of 150 participants, including 50 children with disabilities aged 8–13, 50 teachers, and 50 peers. The participating children included those with physical and visual disabilities. Data were collected using standardized and validated instruments assessing psychological wellbeing, teacher–student relationship quality, and peer relationship quality. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine reciprocal associations between relationship quality and psychological wellbeing. The findings showed that teacher–student and peer relationship quality significantly predicted psychological wellbeing (R² = .556 and R² = .540, respectively, p < .001). At the same time, psychological wellbeing significantly predicted the quality of both teacher–student and peer relationships, highlighting the reciprocal nature of these processes. These results suggest that children and adolescents with disabilities are not only influenced by their social environments but also actively contribute to shaping the quality of their interactions with teachers and peers.