A study published in School Mental Health explored how supportive actions from teachers and managing emotions affect the well-being of primary school students in low-income communities.
It found that when teachers provide more support, students tend to experience more positive emotions, greater satisfaction with their lives and school, and fewer negative emotions. In other words, supportive teachers help students feel happier and more content in school and in general.
Another interesting finding was that teacher support seemed to have a bigger effect on students' emotions and well-being in schools with higher and middle-income levels, rather than in lower-income schools. This might mean that in low-income environments, other factors outside of school have a greater impact than the support teachers can provide.
With these findings, we can learn how to better support students from different income backgrounds. This means we can create more effective strategies by considering both factors — teacher support and emotional regulation skills — together.
Understanding the Research
In this research paper, Somerville and colleagues studied the relationship between supportive teacher behaviors, emotion regulation, and well-being in primary school pupils. They focused on schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas with a high representation of ethnic minority groups.
The study included 508 children, ages 8 to 12 (with an average age of 9.91 years), from low-income schools in urban areas of Auckland, New Zealand. Most of the children were Pasifika (54%) and Māori (11%).
The kids answered questions about how supported they felt by their teachers, how well they managed their emotions, and how they felt in four areas:
- positive affect
- negative affect
- life satisfaction
- school satisfaction
Here are the findings:
When kids felt supported by their teachers, they were happier overall! They had more positive feelings, fewer negative emotions, felt more satisfied with their lives, and enjoyed school more. Teacher support also helped the students manage their emotions better.
Interestingly, the study didn’t find a big link between school income levels and well-being when it came to teacher support. However, teacher support did make a bigger difference in helping kids manage their emotions in middle and higher-income schools compared to lower-income schools.
Practical Strategies for Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers
If you are raising or teaching children coming from stressful environments, you can give them the tools and skills necessary to improve their mental and emotional health.
At Mental Health Center Kids, we also provide digital resources to help you support these children in the best way possible.
Here are some practical tips:
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Start with open communication. Managing emotions in a healthy way begins with open communication. As a parent, you can start by asking your child open-ended questions like, “How was your day?” or “How are you feeling?” As a teacher, you can hold classroom discussions where students get to express how they’re feeling in small groups or one-on-one sessions. Our Feelings Activity Worksheets are examples of helpful resources to facilitate communication about emotions.
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Emotional regulation coaching. It’s all about teaching kids how to calm down, think through their problems, and find constructive solutions. Without proper regulation skills, they may react impulsively. One of my favorite techniques as a therapist is to create a calm corner at home or in the classroom. It’s a space where kids can go take a break from stress and reflect. Fill this space with sensory toys, SEL books, and calming activities.
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Promote positive interactions. Activities that encourage group problem-solving (such as a group art project) or turn-taking (such as the whole family preparing a meal together) help children gain the tools to form positive relationships with others. Check out this Social Skills Handouts Bundle with 25 pages of resources designed to improve children's social abilities.
The authors stressed the importance of teacher support behaviors “such as cultivating warm and positive relationships, providing structure and consistency, and fostering pupil autonomy.” Additionally, they suggest that understanding how teachers act and how students handle their emotions can help design future programs to improve kids' emotional and mental health.
For more resources to support emotional regulation, check out our Feelings Worksheets and Coping Skills Worksheets.
