The Effects of the Teacher-Child Relationship and the Teacher’s Psychological Control as Perceived by the Child on a Child’s Aggression

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of the teacher-child relationship and child’s perception of the psychological control of teachers on a child’s aggression. A total of 216 4th graders from Dongjak-gu and Gwanak-gu, Seoul, participated in this study. A multiple regression analysis and Pearson’s correlation analysis were performed using the SPSS ver. 18.0 program. The results were as follows: first, there was a meaningful relationship between a teacher-child relationship, the teacher’s psychological control and the child’s aggression. Second, closeness between the teacher and the child could reduce the child’s overt and relational aggression, while conflicts between the teacher and the child could increase the child’s overt, relational, and overall aggression. The teacher’s blame, limit of the child’s self-expression, and guilt induction could increase the child’s overt aggression. Further, the teacher’s withdrawal of affection, emotional disapproval, blame, and limit of self-expression could increase the child’s relational aggression. In particular, the teacher’s blame appeared to influence both the child’s overt aggression and the child’s overall aggression, and the teacher’s withdrawal of affection appeared to influence the child’s relational aggression. These results suggest that the relationship between a teacher and a child is a matter of mutual contribution. In other words, the better the teacher-student relationship is, the greater is the decrease in the child’s aggression. This study provides the basic data for the development of an aggression prevention program for elementary school children.