publisher
Students who expect to be rejected by their teachers display weaker engagement and self-concept
- Source
- Frontiers in Education
- Published
- Last verified
- 19 Aug 2026
- Confidence
- Moderate
- Evidence
- Original document retained
- Reading time
- 1 min
- Country
- International
- Relevant to
- Research & Evidence
Executive summary
What happened, and why should leadership care?
A study conducted with 7th-grade students in Germany explores the impact of students' expectations of teacher rejection, particularly based on background, on various academic and psychological outcomes. Preliminary findings suggest a connection between rejection expectation and students' school engagement, academic performance (grades), self-esteem, and academic self-concept. The research also investigates which student groups are more prone to these expectations and whether strong emotional teacher support can mitigate the negative effects on school engagement.
Why this matters
Why is this strategically important?
This research highlights a crucial link between teacher-student dynamics and student outcomes, impacting academic performance and personal development. Understanding how expectations of rejection affect engagement and self-concept is vital for fostering inclusive educational environments and improving overall educational efficacy.
Key insights
What should be noted from the evidence?
- The study investigates the construct of students' background-based rejection expectation by teachers and its relationship with school engagement.
- It examines whether students' expectation of teacher rejection correlates with school engagement, grades, self-esteem, and academic self-concept.
- The research aims to identify specific student groups that tend to expect rejection from teachers.
- An objective of the study is to determine if strong emotional teacher support can moderate the impact of rejection expectation on school engagement.
Evidence and confidence
How far can this assessment be trusted?
Moderate confidence. Provenance established; supporting evidence remains partial.
Analysis is prepared editorially by Aziz Shuaib Ausi. The original publication remains the authoritative record, and executive judgement remains entirely human.
Source
Where does this originate?
Reported by Frontiers in Education · International. This briefing summarises the publication for executive use; the document itself is not reproduced here.
Read the original publication