ASSOCIATIONS OF TEACHER AUTONOMY SUPPORT AND STRUCTURE WITH YOUNG ADOLESCENTS’ MOTIVATION, ENGAGEMENT, BELONGING, AND ACHIEVEMENT

The purpose of this short-term longitudinal quantitative study was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the influence of teacher autonomy support and structure on young adolescents' academic motivation, classroom engagement, school belonging, and achievement. Middle school students (N = 209, 61% female) self-reported perceptions of teacher support (choice, respect, relevance), teacher structure (monitoring, expectations, help), academic motivation (intrinsic value), engagement (involved and disruptive behavior), school belonging, and semester grades in the fall and spring of the school year. Hierarchical regression findings indicated teacher support and structure influenced young adolescents' school functioning after controlling for prior adjustment, and that gender moderated associations. Teacher respect was related with involved behavior, and expectations were related with intrinsic value, belonging, and achievement. As expected, high levels of perceived support and structure were associated with higher levels of intrinsic value, involved behavior, and school belonging. Boys who perceived high levels of teacher respect and monitoring reported the lowest disruptive behavior and the highest semester grades. Boys who perceived high levels of teacher respect and help reported the lowest semester grades. Implications for middle grades educational research and practice are discussed.