Skip to main content

Influence of Classroom and School Climate on Teacher Perceptions of Student Problem Behavior

School Mental Health volume 6, pages 125–136 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Reducing student problem behavior remains a leading concern for school staff, as disruptive and aggressive behavior interferes with student achievement and the school climate. However, the multisystemic nature of schools makes it difficult for researchers and practitioners to identify factors influencing to students’ behavior. The current study examined student problem behavior through an ecological lens by taking into account individual (e.g., gender, ethnicity, prosocial behavior), classroom (e.g., class size, average classroom behavior), and school-level factors (e.g., location, school climate). Using data from 37 elementary schools, 467 classrooms, and 8,750 students, a series of hierarchical linear models were tested. Multilevel analyses revealed that while individual student characteristics had the largest influence on problem behavior, average prosocial behavior and concentration problems of students within the classroom, as well as teacher perceptions of the school climate significantly related to how students behaved. These findings support the use of classroom-based intervention programs to reduce student problem behavior.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barkley, R. A. (2003). Issues in the diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children. Brain and Development, 25, 77–83. doi:10.1016/S0387-7604(02)00152-3.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, J., Belsky, J., Broomfield, K. A., Melhuish, E., & National Evaluation of Sure Start (NESS). (2006). Neighbourhood deprivation, school disorder and academic achievement in primary schools in deprived communities in England. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 30, 127–136. doi:10.1177/0165025406063585.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barth, J. M., Dunlap, S. T., Dane, H., Lochman, J. E., & Wells, K. C. (2004). Classroom environment influences on aggression, peer relations, and academic focus. Journal of School Psychology, 42, 115–133. doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2003.11.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Battistich, V., & Hom, A. (1997). The relationship between students’ sense of their school as a community and their involvement in problem behaviors. American Journal of Public Health, 87, 1997–2001. doi:10.2105/AJPH.87.12.1997.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Battistich, V., Solomon, D., Kim, D.-I., Watson, M., & Schaps, E. (1995). Schools as communities, poverty levels of student populations, and students’ attitudes, motives, and performance: A multilevel analysis. American Educational Research Journal, 32, 627–658. doi:10.3102/00028312032003627.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernard, B. (2004). Resiliency: What we have learned. San Francisco, CA: WestEd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bevans, K. B., Bradshaw, C. P., Miech, R., & Leaf, P. J. (2007). Staff- and school-level predictors of school organizational health: A multilevel analysis. Journal of School Health, 77, 294–302. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2007.00210.x.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw, C. P., Bottiani, J., Osher, D., & Sugai, G. (2014). Integrating positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) and social emotional learning. In M. D. Weist, N. A. Lever, C. P. Bradshaw, & J. Owens (Eds.), Handbook of school mental health: Advancing practice and research (2nd ed.). New YorK, NY: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw, C. P., Buckley, J., & Ialongo, N. (2008). School-based service utilization among urban children with early-onset educational and mental health problems: The squeaky wheel phenomenon. School Psychology Quarterly, 23, 169–186. doi:10.1037/1045-3830.23.2.169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw, C. P., Mitchell, M. M., O’Brennan, L. M., & Leaf, P. J. (2010). Multilevel exploration of factors contributing to the overrepresentation of African American students in office disciplinary referrals. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102, 508–520. doi:10.1037/a0018450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw, C. P., Sawyer, A. L., & O’Brennan, L. M. (2009). A social disorganization perspective on bullying-related attitudes and behaviors: The influence of school context. American Journal of Community Psychology, 43, 204–220. doi:10.1007/s10464-009-9240-1.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw, C. P., Waasdorp, T. E., & Leaf, P. J. (2012). Effects of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports on child behavior problems. Pediatrics, 130, e1136–e1145. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-0243.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, K. E., & Medway, F. J. (2007). School climate and teacher beliefs in a school effectively serving poor South Carolina African-American students: A case study. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23, 529–540. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2006.11.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Capara, G. V., Barbaranelli, C., Pastorelli, C., Bandura, A., & Zimbardo, P. G. (2000). Prosocial foundations of children’s academic achievement. Psychological Science, 11, 302–306. doi:10.1111/1467-9280.00260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2009). School connectedness: Strategies for increasing protective factors among youth. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Craig, W. M., & Pepler, D. J. (2003). Identifying and targeting risk for involvement in bullying and victimization. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 48, 577–582.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dwyer, S. B., Nicholson, J. M., & Battistutta, D. (2006). Parent and teacher identification of children at risk of developing internalizing or externalizing mental health problems: A comparison of screening methods. Prevention Science, 7, 343–357. doi:10.1007/s11121-006-0026-5.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, M., Atkins, M., Cullinan, D., Kutash, K., & Weaver, R. (2008). Reducing behavior problems in the elementary school classroom: A practice guide (NCEE #2008-012). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides.

  • Freiberg, H. J. (1999). School climate: Measuring, improving and sustaining healthy learning environments. Philadelphia, PA: Taylor & Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilman, R., Huebner, E. S., & Furlong, M. J. (2009). Handbook of positive psychology in schools. New York, NY: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., & Anderson, C. M. (2010). Examining the evidence base for schoolwide positive behavior support. Focus on Exceptional Children, 42, 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoy, W. K., & Woolfolk, A. E. (1993). Teachers’ sense of efficacy and the organizational health of schools. Elementary School Journal, 93, 355–372. doi:10.1086/461729.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ialongo, N., Poduska, J., Werthamer, L., & Kellam, S. (2001). The distal impact of two first-grade preventive interventions on conduct problems and disorder in early adolescence. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 9, 146–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jimerson, S. R., & Furlong, M. J. (2006). Handbook of school violence and school safety: From research to practice. New York, NY: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kellam, S. G., Ling, X., Merisca, R., Brown, C. H., & Ialongo, N. (1998). The effect of the level of aggression in the first grade classroom on the course and malleability of aggressive behavior into middle school. Developmental and Psychopathology, 10, 165–185. doi:10.1017/S0954579498001564.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koth, C. W., Bradshaw, C. P., & Leaf, P. J. (2008). A multilevel study of predictors of student perceptions of school climate: The effect of classroom-level factors. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100, 96–104. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.100.1.96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koth, C. W., Bradshaw, C. P., & Leaf, P. J. (2009). Teacher observation of classroom adaptation checklist: Development and factor structure. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 42, 15–30. doi:10.1177/0748175609333560.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LaFontana, K. M., & Cillessen, A. H. N. (2002). Children’s perceptions of popular and unpopular peers: A multimethod assessment. Developmental Psychology, 38, 635–647. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.38.5.635.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leaf, P. J., Schultz, D., Keys, S., & Ialongo, N. (2002). The Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Checklist (TOCA-C). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loukas, A., & Robinson, S. (2004). Examining the moderating role of perceived school climate in early adolescent adjustment. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 14, 209–233. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2004.01402004.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mainhard, M. T., Brekelmans, M., Brok, P., & Wubbels, T. (2011). The development of the classroom social climate during the first months of the school year. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 36, 190–200. doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2010.06.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, J., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behaviour, 2, 99–113. doi:10.1002/job.4030020205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, G. J., Finn, S. E., Eyde, L. D., Kay, G. G., Moreland, K. L., Dies, R. R., et al. (2001). Psychological testing and psychological assessment: A review of evidence and issues. American Psychologist, 56, 128–165. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.56.2.128.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, M. M., & Bradshaw, C. P. (2013). Examining classroom influences on student perceptions of school climate: The role of classroom management and exclusionary discipline strategies. Journal of School Psychology, 51, 599–610. doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2013.05.005.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, M., Bradshaw, C. P., & Leaf, P. J. (2010). Student and teacher perceptions of school climate: A multilevel exploration of patterns of discrepancy. Journal of School Health, 80, 271–279. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00501.x.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osher, D., Bear, G. G., Sprague, J. R., & Doyle, W. (2010). How can we improve school discipline? Educational Researcher, 39, 48–58. doi:10.3102/0013189X09357618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palardy, G. J., & Rumberger, R. W. (2008). Teacher effectiveness in first grade: The importance of background qualifications, attitudes, and instructional practices for student learning. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 30, 111–140. doi:10.3102/0162373708317680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pas, E. T., Bradshaw, C. P., Hershfeldt, P. A., & Leaf, P. J. (2010). A multilevel exploration of the influence of teacher efficacy and burnout on response to student problem behavior and school-based service use. School Psychology Quarterly, 25, 13–27. doi:10.1037/a0018576.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pas, E., Bradshaw, C. P., & Mitchell, M. M. (2011). Examining the validity of office discipline referrals as an indicator of student behavior problems. Psychology in the Schools, 48, 541–555. doi:10.1002/pits.20577.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raudenbush, S. W., & Bryk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical linear models: Applications and data analysis methods (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinke, W. M., Herman, K. C., & Stormont, M. (2013). Classroom-level positive behavior supports in schools implementing SW-PBIS: Identifying areas for enhancement. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 15, 39–50. doi:10.1177/1098300712459079.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reinke, W. M., Lewis-Palmer, T., & Merrell, K. (2008). The classroom check-up: A classwide teacher consultation model for increasing praise and decreasing disruptive behavior. School Psychology Review, 37, 315–332.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rumberger, R. W., & Palardy, G. J. (2004). Multilevel models for school effectiveness research. In D. Kaplan (Ed.), The sage handbook of quantitative methodology for the social sciences (pp. 235–258). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saft, E. W., & Pianta, R. C. (2001). Teachers’ perceptions of their relationships with students: Effects of child age, gender, and ethnicity of teachers and children. School Psychology Quarterly, 16, 125–141. doi:10.1521/scpq.16.2.125.18698.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sameroff, A. (1975). Transactional models in early social relations. Human Development, 18, 65–79. doi:10.1159/000271476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schonert-Reichel, K. A., Smith, V., Zaidman-Zait, A., & Hertzman, C. (2012). Promoting children’s prosocial behaviors in school: Impact of the ‘‘Roots of Empathy’’ program on the social and emotional competence of school-aged children. School Mental Health, 4, 1–21. doi:10.1007/s12310-011-9064-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shim, S. S., Kiefer, S. M., & Wang, C. (2013). Help seeking among peers: The role of goal structure and peer climate. The Journal of Educational Research, 106, 290–300. doi:10.1080/00220671.2012.692733.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2007). Dimensions of teacher self-efficacy and relations with strain factors, perceived collective teacher efficacy, and teacher burnout. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99, 611–625. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.99.3.611.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spinrad, T. L., & Eisenberg, N. (2009). Emotion regulation: Implications for positive youth development. In R. Gilman, E. S. Huebner, & M. J. Furlong (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology in schools (pp. 119–130). New York, NY: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stacks, A. M. (2005). Using an ecological framework for understanding and treating externalizing behavior in early childhood. Early Childhood Education Journal, 32, 269–278. doi:10.1007/s10643-004-0754-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stormshak, E. A., Bierman, K. L., Bruschi, C., Dodge, K. A., Coie, J. D., & The Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group. (1999). The relation between behavior problems and peer preference in different classroom contexts. Child Development, 70, 169–182. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00013.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sugai, G., & Horner, R. (2006). A promising approach for expanding and sustaining school-wide positive behavior support. School Psychology Review, 35, 245–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sugai, G., Todd, A. W., & Horner, R. H. (2000). Effective Behavior Support (EBS) Survey: Assessing and planning behavior supports in schools. Eugene, OR: University of Oregon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, R. C. F., Shek, D. T. L., & Siu, A. M. H. (2008). Positive school and classroom environment: Precursors of successful implementation of Positive Youth Development Programs. Scientific World Journal, 8, 1063–1074. doi:10.1100/tsw.2008.126.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thapa, A., Cohen, J., Guffey, S., & Higgins-D’Alessandro, A. (2013). A review of school climate research. Review of Educational Research, 83, 357–385. doi:10.3102/0034654313483907.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, D. E., Bierman, K. L., & The Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group. (2006). The impact of classroom aggression on the development of aggressive behavior problems in children. Development and Psychopathology, 18, 471–487. doi:10.1017/S0954579406060251.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, D. E., Bierman, K. L., Thompson, C., Powers, C. J., & Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group. (2008). Double jeopardy: Child and school characteristics that predict aggressive-disruptive behavior in first grade. School Psychology Review, 37, 516–532.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tobin, T. J., & Vincent, C. G. (2011). Strategies for preventing disproportionate exclusions of African American students. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 55, 192–201. doi:10.1080/1045988X.2010.532520.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wayne, A. J., & Youngs, P. (2003). Teacher characteristics and student achievement gains: A review. Review of Educational Research, 73, 89–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weist, M. D., Lever, N. A., Bradshaw, C. P., & Owens, J. (2014). Further developing school mental health: Reflecting on the past to inform the future. In M. D. Weist, N. A. Lever, C. P. Bradshaw, & J. Owens (Eds.), Handbook of school mental health: Advancing practice and research (2nd ed., pp. 1–14). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Wentzel, K. R. (1993). Does being good make the grade? Social behavior and academic competence in middle school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 85, 357–364. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.85.2.357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, D. (2004). The interface of school climate and school connectedness and relationships with aggression and victimization. Journal of School Health, 74, 293–299. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2004.tb08286.x.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The research reported here was supported in part by the National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH67948-1A1; PI: Leaf) and the Institute of Education Sciences (R305A090307; PI: Bradshaw). Additional support for the writing of this article comes from the National Institute of Mental Health Children’s Mental Health Services Training Program (T32 MH019545-21; PI: Leaf). The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of NIMH or IES. The authors thank Dr. Shane Jimerson and Dr. Russell Rumbeger for their support of this work.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Hampton House, 8th Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Lindsey M. O’Brennan & Catherine P. Bradshaw

  2. Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology, Gevirtz Graduate School Education, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA

    Michael J. Furlong

Authors
  1. Lindsey M. O’Brennan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Catherine P. Bradshaw
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Michael J. Furlong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lindsey M. O’Brennan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

O’Brennan, L.M., Bradshaw, C.P. & Furlong, M.J. Influence of Classroom and School Climate on Teacher Perceptions of Student Problem Behavior. School Mental Health 6, 125–136 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-014-9118-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-014-9118-8

Keywords

  • Teacher reports
  • Student problem behavior
  • Classroom behavior
  • School climate