Exploring teacher–student relationships outside the positive/negative binary: a multistudy latent profile analysis of relationships and engagement in secondary science and mathematics

Teacher–student relationships are critically important to adolescents’ academic success and engagement. By and large, motivational research has examined the association between teacher–student relationships and engagement in adolescence via variable-centered approaches. Although critical to identifying unique associations between different dimensions of these relationships and engagement, such research cannot address gaps in the current understanding of relational typologies. Prior research (Burns, Van Bergen, et al., 2022; Roorda& Bosman, 2022) has demonstrated that different combinations of these dimensions yield distinct relationship typologies in adolescence. This multistudy article applies latent profile analysis in two independent samples (n₁=969, n₂= 753) of Australian adolescents to extend this prior research by (a) replicating the distinct relational typologies identified in prior research and (b) examining the associations of different relational typologies with subject-specific engagement (mathematics and science). Both studies examine the extent to which students experience (dis)similar relationships with different teachers and potential gender differences in relational quality. Findings indicate that the profiles identified in earlier research are replicable, both in terms of qualities and uniformity. Findings provide evidence for cumulative effects of positive relationships on subject-specific engagement, but limited evidence for a protective effect of positive relationships across subjects. These studies contribute to the continued conceptualizing of teacher–student relationships beyond the positive/negative binary. Implications for teacher practice and teacher training are identified, particularly regarding how to handle relationships that are characterized by high levels of conflict.