Teachers' perceptions of parent-teacher alliance and student-teacher relational conflict: Examining the role of ethnic differences and "disruptive" behavior

Although parents' relationships with teachers are considered to be an important aspect of parental school involvement, few studies have examined their implications for students' school adjustment. The present study provided further insight into the relevance of teachers' perceptions of the parentteacher relationship by examining their link to teachers' perceptions of studentteacher relational conflict. Participants were 36 native Dutch teachers who rated their relationships with 230 Grade 46 students (59 Turkish-Dutch, 62 Moroccan-Dutch, and 109 native Dutch) and their parents. It was found that the perceived parentteacher relationship could explain ethnic differences in studentteacher conflict that were previously unaccounted for. Moreover, the effect of the parentteacher relationship was most pronounced for students with more perceived inattention/hyperactivity problems. Results are discussed in light of their theoretical importance and practical implications. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.