The effect of students' perceptions of their teachers' interpersonal behaviour on their educational outcomes: a meta-analysis of research with the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI)

The present study conducted a meta analysis on studies that used the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) and related the teacher-student interpersonal relationship to students’ cognitive and/or affective outcomes. Using a literature search, 37 studies reporting 110 effects of two interpersonal dimensions, control (influence) and affiliation (proximity), on student outcomes were found. Cohen’s unbiased effect size was determined for each effect, and several variables related to study characteristics and the design were coded. Results showed an overall positive effect of both dimensions on both types of outcomes, confirming reports of single studies. Also, the effect of proximity seemed larger for affective outcomes; the effect of influence seemed larger for cognitive outcomes. However, the study also highlighted a number of issues that have an effect on the association between outcomes and interpersonal behaviour, and that should be taken into account by researchers. It seems advisable to use longer QTI versions, to use interpersonal dimensions rather than (circumplex) scales to establish effects, to conduct multilevel analyses on the data and to correct for covariates, in order to obtain an unbiased effect.