Student-Teacher Relationships and Human Flourishing: Preliminary Findings from Brazil

Abstract

Background: Education's role in holistic student development, including enhancing their socio-emotional skills and well-being, is widely recognized. Brazil has incorporated these skills into its curriculum, emphasizing a positive school environment. The quality of student-teacher relationships plays a vital role in students' flourishing, but there is limited evidence on these processes in majority-world contexts such as Brazil. Objective: This study examines the association between student-teacher relationships and human flourishing among Brazilian adolescents. Methods: Data from 2,760 adolescents enrolled in vocational high schools in Brazil is used. The Diener's Flourishing Scale (2009) and a teacher-student relationship measure were used. Hierarchical regression analysis examined age, gender, and student-teacher relationships as predictors of flourishing. Results: Boys exhibited slightly higher flourishing than girls. The quality of teacher-student relationships significantly contributed to flourishing, explaining an additional 9% of variance above and beyond the effects of age and gender. Conclusion: This study underscores the significance of teacher-student relationships for well-being in a majority-world context. Gender differences were noted, with boys reporting higher flourishing. The results suggest the need for further research to refine educational practices that promote student thriving.