Do you read me? Associations between perceived teacher emotional support, reader self‑concept, and reading achievement

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to examine the associations among perceived teacher emotional support, reader self-concept, and reading achievement in a sample of children (n = 2888) at the end of first grade. Structural equation modelling revealed significant relations between perceived teacher emotional support and reader self-concept and between reader self-concept and reading achievement. No direct association was found between perceived teacher emotional support and reading achievement. However, we found that reader self-concept mediated the association between perceived teacher emotional support and reading achievement. Conclusively, teachers should have in mind that supporting children emotionally might contribute to both higher reading self-concept and higher reading achievement.