Date
11-13-2024
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Amy G. Jones
Keywords
student engagement, teacher-student relationships, self-efficacy, students with disabilities
Disciplines
Education | Special Education and Teaching
Recommended Citation
Davis, Lora S., "The Impact of Teacher-Student Relationships and Self-Efficacy on the Engagement of Secondary Special Education Students: A Predictive Correlational Study" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6156.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6156
Abstract
The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study was to investigate the predictive ability of student perception of teacher-student relationships and student-reported self-efficacy on student-reported engagement, specifically regarding secondary special education students. Given the well-documented impact of teacher-student relationships on the educational experience of students, this study had the potential to provide meaningful guidance for staff in secondary schools when they seek to support special education students with disabilities. The participants in this study were 108 high school students receiving special education services from four different high schools located in rural areas of a single southeastern state. Participants anonymously completed three Likert-style rating scales (the Brief Student Engagement Instrument, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Inventory of Teacher-Student Relationships) to measure their engagement, self-efficacy, and teacher-student relationships. The multiple-linear regression that was conducted determined that there was a positive predictive correlation between the combination of student self-efficacy and teacher-student relationship on student engagement. Recommendations included implementing strategies to increase student self-efficacy and teacher-student relationships.
