Peer rejection is negatively related to later language competence only for children with below-median teacher-child closeness, not above-median closeness¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 For children with below-median teacher-child closeness, peer rejection T1 correlated significantly negatively with language competence T2 (r = .24, p = .004); for above-median closeness the correlation was non-significant (r = .01, p = .951). → Femke van der Wilt 2025

Evidence¶

Femke van der Wilt 2025¶

Femke van der Wilt, Jantine Spilt, Sharisse van Driel, Hilde Colpin. (2025). The moderating role of the teacher-child relationship in the association between peer rejection and language competence in early childhood education. Learning and Instruction 100 (2025) 102217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102217

q3 · i2 · associational · r2

Post hoc correlation analyses in a longitudinal study of N = 328 Dutch children aged four to six, split at the median of teacher-child closeness. The below-median group showed a "significant, negative correlation" (r = .24, p = .004); the above-median group's correlation was non-significant (r = .01, p = .951).

"A significant, negative correlation between peer rejection T1 and language competence T2 was observed for children with below-median levels of teacher-child closeness (r = .24, p = .004), while a non-significant correlation was found for children with above-median levels (r = .01, p = .951)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Social Awareness and Relationship Skills — moderator: an instructional effect differs with it

Related Claims¶

• The study is the first to examine whether the teacher-child relationship moderates the link between peer rejection and language competence — related
• Peer rejection shows a significant negative correlation with language competence but no main effect on later language competence after controls — related
• Peer rejection is negatively related to later language competence only for children with above-median teacher-child conflict, not below-median conflict — related
• The interaction of peer rejection and teacher-child closeness/conflict significantly predicts later language competence in multilevel models — a broader claim this one bears on