The Predictive Roles of Teacher-Student Relationship Qualities in the Implementation of Restorative Practices in Elementary Schools
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Although restorative practices have been broadly embraced as equitable alternatives to punitive discipline in K–12 education, their effectiveness remains underexamined, particularly regarding how implementation success is influenced by the quality of student–teacher relationships. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to examine the extent to which three teacher-reported qualities of the student–teacher relationship (i.e., closeness, conflict, and dependency) predicted the implementation of two types of restorative practices (relationship building and community development, and restorative responses to conflict) in elementary schools. Guided by social capital theory and restorative justice theory, the study surveyed 72 certified elementary teachers in New York State using subscales adapted from the Student–Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) and the Restorative Practices Implementation Scale (RPIS). Spearman rank-order correlations and two bootstrapped multiple linear regression models addressed three research questions concerning the associations among the relationship qualities and restorative practice factors. Closeness was positively associated with both restorative practice factors and conflict was negatively associated with both, whereas dependency showed weaker, less consistent associations. Across both regression models, closeness emerged as the strongest positive predictor and conflict a significant negative predictor, together accounting for 66% and 71% of the variance, respectively; dependency contributed no unique predictive value. These findings indicate that warmth, trust, and open communication, along with the absence of relational conflict, are closely tied to how fully teachers implement restorative practices. The study recommends that teacher development prioritize relationship building and that future research employ longitudinal, multi-source designs incorporating school and district leadership.
Author: Johnson, Farid
Institution: St. John Fisher University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7167174057