Interpersonal Relationships and Students’ Academic and Personal Wellbeing

This presentation draws on a number of large-scale research projects investigating the shared and unique influence of diverse interpersonal relationships on students’ academic and personal wellbeing. Data are presented exploring the distinct impact of same-sex and opposite-sex peers, parents and teachers on academic buoyancy, motivation, engagement, classroom climate, school attendance, achievement, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and mental health. The presentation concludes with a discussion of the role of diverse sources of interpersonal relatedness to optimally map onto the many important factors that traverse student development.