Teachers’ Emotional and Empathetic Abilities in Relation to Adolescents Social and Emotional Characteristics and the Importance of Rapport with Secondary Students in a Multicultural Environment
The study explores the importance of empathy and emotional intelligence in developing rapport with students and managing disruptive behaviors, particularly in multicultural educational settings. The qualitative research adopts the phenomenological approach, using thematic analysis on interviews with teachers. The research investigates how teachers perceive and implement these emotional competencies, the strategies they find effective in building student rapport, and the challenges they encounter in employing empathy. The analysis reveals a profound understanding among teachers of the significance of empathy and emotional intelligence in educational contexts. Teachers view these skills as essential for understanding and connecting with students, especially in classrooms characterized by cultural and emotional diversity. The strategies identified for enhancing rapport, such as individualized attention and building relationships beyond academics, align with the concept of relational pedagogy. These approaches highlight the importance of creating inclusive and empathetic classroom environments where students feel valued and understood. However, teachers also report significant challenges in implementing these strategies, including managing large classes, coping with emotional exhaustion, addressing diverse emotional needs, and balancing the emotional labor inherent in teaching. Overall, the study shows that empathy and emotional intelligence are not merely individual traits but are deeply influenced by the broader educational context.
Cite this paper
Traikou, M. (2024). Teachers’ Emotional and Empathetic Abilities in Relation to Adolescents Social and Emotional Characteristics and the Importance of Rapport with Secondary Students in a Multicultural Environment. Open Access Library Journal, 11, e2759. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1112759.
Esturgó-Deu, M.E. and Sala-Roca, J. (2010) Disruptive Behaviour of Students in Primary Education and Emotional Intelli-gence. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26, 830-837. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2009.10.020
Nash, P., Schlösser, A. and Scarr, T. (2015) Teachers’ Perceptions of Disruptive Behaviour in Schools: A Psychological Perspective. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 21, 167-180. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2015.1054670
Allen, J.L., Bird, E. and Chhoa, C.Y. (2018) Bad Boys and Mean Girls: Callous-Unemotional Traits, Management of Disruptive Behavior in School, the Teacher-Student Relationship and Academic Motivation. Frontiers in Education, 3, Article 108. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2018.00108
Duesund, L. and Ødegård, M. (2018) Students’ Perception of Reactions Towards Disruptive Behaviour in Norwegian and American Schools. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 23, 410-423. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2018.1469847
Fauzi, F.A., Zulkefli, N.A.M. and Baharom, A. (2023) Aggressive Behavior in Adolescent: The Importance of Biopsychosocial Predictors among Secondary School Students. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, Article 992159. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.992159
Xu, X. and Klassen, R.M. (2023) Chinese and British University Teachers’ Emotional Reactions to Students’ Disruptive Classroom Behaviors. Sustainability, 15, Article 11798. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511798
King, S., Kennedy, K. and Powelson, A. (2019) Behavior Manage-ment Interventions for School Buses: A Systematic Review. Education and Treatment of Children, 42, 101-128. https://doi.org/10.1353/etc.2019.0005
Solomon, M. and Nashat, S. (2010) Offering a “Therapeutic Presence” in Schools and Education Settings. Psychodynamic Practice, 16, 289-304. https://doi.org/10.1080/14753634.2010.492145
Wan, S., Lin, S., Yirimuwen,, Li, S. and Qin, G. (2023) The Rela-tionship between Teacher–student Relationship and Adolescent Emotional Intelligence: A Chain-Mediated Mediation Model of Openness and Empathy. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 16, 1343-1354. https://doi.org/10.2147/prbm.s399824
Xiang, D., Qin, G. and Zheng, X. (2022) The Influence of Student-Teacher Relationship on School-Age Children’s Empathy: The Mediating Role of Emotional Intelligence. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 15, 2735-2744. https://doi.org/10.2147/prbm.s380689
Goroshit, M. and Hen, M. (2016) Teachers’ Empathy: Can It Be Predicted by Self-efficacy? Teachers and Teaching, 22, 805-818. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2016.1185818
Arnon, S. and Reichel, N. (2007) Who Is the Ideal Teacher? Am I? Similarity and Difference in Perception of Students of Education Regarding the Qualities of a Good Teacher and of Their Own Qualities as Teachers. Teachers and Teaching, 13, 441-464. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540600701561653
Goetz, T., Bieleke, M., Gogol, K., van Tartwijk, J., Mainhard, T., Lipnevich, A.A., et al. (2021) Getting along and Feeling Good: Reciprocal Associations between Student-Teacher Relationship Quality and Students’ Emotions. Learning and Instruction, 71, Article ID: 101349. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2020.101349
Mamat Muhammad, N.H. and Hisham Ismail, N.A. (2021) Inte-gration of Emotional Intelligence in Teaching Practice among University Teachers in Higher Education. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction, 18, 69-102. https://doi.org/10.32890/mjli2021.18.2.3
Harrison, M.G., King, R.B. and Wang, H. (2023) Satisfied Teachers Are Good Teachers: The Association between Teacher Job Satisfaction and Instructional Quality. British Educational Research Journal, 49, 476-498. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3851
Haydon, T., Alter, P., Hawkins, R. and Kendall Theado, C. (2019) “Check Yourself”: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Teachers of Students with Challenging Behaviors. Beyond Behavior, 28, 55-60. https://doi.org/10.1177/1074295619831620
Orpinas, P. and Horne, A.M. (2004) A Teacher-Focused Approach to Prevent and Reduce Students’ Aggressive Behavior: The GREAT Teacher Program. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 26, 29-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2003.09.016
de Ruiter, J.A., Poorthuis, A.M.G. and Koomen, H.M.Y. (2021) Teachers’ Emotional Labor in Response to Daily Events with Individual Students: The Role of Teacher-Student Relationship Quality. Teaching and Teacher Education, 107, Article ID: 103467.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103467
Fiorilli, C., Albanese, O., Gabola, P. and Pepe, A. (2016) Teach-ers’ Emotional Competence and Social Support: Assessing the Mediating Role of Teacher Burnout. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 61, 127-138. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2015.1119722
Turanlı, A.S. (2009) Stu-dents’ Perceptions of Teachers’ Behaviors of Social-Emotional Support and Students’ Satisfaction with the Classroom At-mosphere. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 35, 129-146.
Zinsser, K.M. and Curby, T.W. (2014) Under-standing Preschool Teachers’ Emotional Support as a Function of Center Climate. Sage Open, 4, 2158244014560728. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244014560728
Skaalvik, E.M. and Skaalvik, S. (2011) Teacher Job Satisfaction and Motivation to Leave the Teaching Profession: Relations with School Context, Feeling of Belonging, and Emotional Exhaustion. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27, 1029-1038. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2011.04.001
Chang, M. (2009) An Appraisal Perspective of Teacher Burnout: Examining the Emotional Work of Teachers. Educational Psychology Review, 21, 193-218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-009-9106-y
Klusmann, U., Kunter, M., Trautwein, U., Lüdtke, O. and Baumert, J. (2008) Engagement and Emotional Exhaustion in Teachers: Does the School Context Make a Difference? Ap-plied Psychology, 57, 127-151. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2008.00358.x
Ibrahim, R.Z.A.R., Zalam, W.Z.M., Foster, B., Afrizal, T., Johansyah, M.D., Saputra, J., et al. (2021) Psychosocial Work Environment and Teachers’ Psychological Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Job Control and Social Support. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, Article 7308. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147308
Frechette, J., Bitzas, V., Aubry, M., Kilpatrick, K. and Lavoie-Tremblay, M. (2020) Capturing Lived Experience: Methodological Considerations for Interpretive Phenomenological Inquiry. Interna-tional Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19, 1609406920907254. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406920907254
Rohleder, P. and Lyons, A.C. (2015). Introduction. In: Rohleder, P. and Lyons, A.C., Eds., Qualitative Research in Clinical and Health Psychology, Red Globe Press, 9-28.
Gergen, K.J. (1985) The Social Constructionist Movement in Modern Psychol-ogy. American Psychologist, 40, 266-275. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066x.40.3.266
Finlay, L. (2002) “Outing” the Researcher: The Provenance, Process, and Practice of Reflexivity. Qualitative Health Research, 12, 531-545. https://doi.org/10.1177/104973202129120052
Malterud, K. (2001) Qualitative Research: Standards, Challenges, and Guidelines. The Lancet, 358, 483-488. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(01)05627-6
Creswell, J.W., Han-son, W.E., Clark Plano, V.L. and Morales, A. (2007) Qualitative Research Designs: Selection and Implementation. The Coun-seling Psychologist, 35, 236-264. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000006287390
Opie, C. (2019) Carrying Out Educational Research—The Start of Your Journey. In: Opie, C., Ed., Getting Started in Your Educational Research: Design, Data Production and Analysis, SAGE Publications Ltd, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526480507.n1
Etikan, I. (2016) Comparison of Convenience Sampling and Purposive Sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11
Kaiser, K. (2009) Protecting Respondent Confidentiality in Qualita-tive Research. Qualitative Health Research, 19, 1632-1641. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732309350879
Trigueros, R., Sanchez-Sanchez, E., Mercader, I., Aguilar-Parra, J.M., López-Liria, R., Morales-Gázquez, M.J., et al. (2020) Relationship between Emotional Intelligence, Social Skills and Peer Har-assment. a Study with High School Students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17, Article 4208. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124208
Rogers, C.R. (1951) Studies in Client-Centered Psychotherapy III: The Case of Mrs. Oak—A Research Analysis. Psychological Service Center Journal, 3, 47-165.
Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006) Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Jennings, P.A. and Greenberg, M.T. (2009) The Prosocial Classroom: Teacher Social and Emotional Compe-tence in Relation to Student and Classroom Outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 79, 491-525. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654308325693
Brackett, M.A., Rivers, S.E. and Salovey, P. (2011) Emotional Intelli-gence: Implications for Personal, Social, Academic, and Workplace Success. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 5, 88-103. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00334.x
Patti, J., Senge, P., Madrazo, C. and Stern, R.S. (2015) Developing Socially, Emotion-ally, and Cognitively Competent School Leaders and Learning Communities. In: Durlak, J.A., et al., Eds., Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning: Research and Practice, The Guilford Press, 438-452.
Zeidner, M., Matthews, G. and Roberts, R.D. (2012) What We Know about Emotional Intelligence: How It Affects Learning, Work, Relationships, and Our Mental Health. MIT Press.
Song, L., Luo, R. and Zhan, Q. (2022) Toward the Role of Teacher Caring and Teach-er-Student Rapport in Predicting English as a Foreign Language Learners’ Willingness to Communicate in Second Language. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 874522. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.874522
Teven, J.J. (2007) Teacher Caring and Classroom Behavior: Relationships with Student Affect and Perceptions of Teacher Competence and Trustwor-thiness. Communication Quarterly, 55, 433-450. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463370701658077
Teven, J.J. and McCroskey, J.C. (1997) The Relationship of Perceived Teacher Caring with Student Learning and Teacher Evaluation. Communication Education, 46, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634529709379069
Zhang, M. (2021) EFL/ESL Teacher’s Resilience, Academic Buoyancy, Care, and Their Impact on Students’ Engagement: A Theoretical Review. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 731859. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.731859
Roorda, D.L., Koomen, H.M.Y., Spilt, J.L. and Oort, F.J. (2011) The Influence of Affective Teacher-Student Relationships on Students’ School Engagement and Achieve-ment: A Meta-Analytic Approach. Review of Educational Research, 81, 493-529. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654311421793
Hargreaves, A. (2000) Mixed Emotions: Teachers’ Percep-tions of Their Interactions with Students. Teaching and Teacher Education, 16, 811-826. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0742-051x(00)00028-7
Hochschild Arlie, R. (1983) The Managed Heart: Commercializa-tion of Human Feeling. In: O’Brien, J., Ed., The Production of Reality: Essays and Readings on Social Interaction, SAGE Publi-cations, Inc., 7308.
