Teacher–student relationship, student mental health, and dropout from upper secondary school: A literature review

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the status of knowledge regarding the association between teacher–student relationship (TSR), dropout from upper secondary school, and student mental health. A literature search was conducted in Eric, PsycInfo, Medline, Scopus, Norart, and Idunn covering the period spanning 2000 to 2015. Sixteen articles were identified for review. These articles were analyzed via thematic analysis. The results indicate that the TSR in upper secondary school is associated with students’ dropout and their mental health. We suggest that the TSR in upper secondary school, identified with key attributes, might be both a protective as well as a risk factor for student mental health and dropout. Finally, we present some future directions for research and practice.