Student–Teacher Relationships and Attention Problems in School-Aged Children: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the quality of student–teacher relationship and attention problems, taking into account two different attention problems (Attention Dysregulation and Attentive Detachment), and the mediating role of Emotion Regulation. Through a multi-informant methodology, teachers rated 161 school-aged children (87 boys and 74 girls) using the Emotion Regulation Checklist, Teacher’s Report Form, and Student–Teacher Relationship Scale, and observers rated the same children on attentive behavior in class using the Child’ s Attention Scale. Results demonstrated the influence of the student–teacher relationship on attentional behavior, via the mediating role of Emotion Regulation. On dealing with children’s attention problems, it will be useful to strive for improving student–teacher relationships that in turn could foster their emotion and attention regulation.