The Relationship Between Perceived Teacher and Parental Acceptance,School Conduct,and the Psychological Adjustment of Bangladeshi Adolescents

This study explored the relationship between students’ perceptions of their teachers’ and parents’ (mothers’ and fathers’) acceptance, and teachers’ reports of the students’ conduct in school as well as students’ reports of their own psychological adjustment. The study was conducted on a sample of 200 high school students in Bangladesh. Results showed that, on average, Bangladeshi students perceived their parents and teachers to be fairly loving. In addition, teachers reported students (males, but especially females) to be well behaved in school. Moreover, students reported themselves to be well adjusted, psychologically. Contrary to expectations, students’ perceptions of teacher acceptance and parental acceptance were not correlated significantly with teachers’ reports of student conduct in school. Students’ perceptions of both teacher and parental acceptance were, however, significantly correlated with students’ psychological adjustment. Results of multiple regression revealed that only perceived teachers’ acceptance (but not parental acceptance) made a significant and independent contribution to variations in the adolescents’ (both males’ and females’) psychological adjustment.