A1 Journal article (refereed)
The associations between teachers' lesson‐specific emotions and observed teacher–student interactions and student engagement (2025)


Pöysä, S., Vasalampi, K., Muotka, J., & Lerkkanen, M. (2025). The associations between teachers' lesson‐specific emotions and observed teacher–student interactions and student engagement. British Journal of Educational Psychology, Early online. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12739

The research was funded by Strategic Research Council at the Research Council of Finland.


JYU authors or editors


Publication details

All authors or editorsPöysä, Sanni; Vasalampi, Kati; Muotka, Joona; Lerkkanen, Marja‐Kristiina

Journal or seriesBritish Journal of Educational Psychology

ISSN0007-0998

eISSN2044-8279

Publication year2025

Publication date03/02/2025

VolumeEarly online

PublisherJohn Wiley & Sons

Publication countryUnited Kingdom

Publication languageEnglish

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12739

Publication open accessNot open

Publication channel open access

Publication is parallel published (JYX)https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/99960


Abstract

Background
Teachers' emotions while teaching are associated to how they teach. Prior research has evidenced such associations mostly based on teacher or student ratings of different teaching behaviours.

Aims
This study examined the extent to which teachers' self-rated lesson-specific positive and negative emotions are associated with the observed quality of teacher–student interactions in terms of emotional support, classroom organization and instructional support as well as students' behavioural engagement in the same lesson.

Sample
The participants comprised 84 subject teachers (76.2% female) and 907 students (15–16 years old; 50.1% female) from 26 Finnish lower secondary schools.

Methods
The data consisted of video-recordings from a total of 282 lessons (M = 3.36 lessons/teacher). The quality of teacher–student interactions and students' behavioural engagement was assessed using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System–Secondary (CLASS-S) observational instrument. Data regarding teachers' positive and negative emotions were collected at the end of each video-recorded lesson using the In Situations Teacher (InSitu-T) Instrument. The collected data were analysed using cross-classified two-level modelling.

Results and Conclusions
The findings revealed that teachers' positive and negative emotions were positively and negatively associated, respectively, with the observed quality of teacher–student interactions in terms of emotional support and classroom organization but not instructional support. The results provide evidence of the associations between teachers' emotions and students' observed behavioural engagement. The findings complement the literature by highlighting the importance of observational data, along with teacher and student ratings.


Keywordsteachersschool childrenteacher-pupil relationshipinteractionemotionslessonsclassroom work

Free keywordslesson-specific positive and negative emotions; student engagement; teacher; teacher–student interaction


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Related projects


Ministry reportingYes

VIRTA submission year2025

Preliminary JUFO rating2


Last updated on 2025-09-02 at 07:32