Adolescent children who have good, supportive relationships with their teachers enjoy better health as adults, says a study published in School Psychology (October). Jinho Kim, assistant professor in the faculty of health policy and management at Korea University, analysed data from the Add Health Study, a nationally representative longitudinal research study conducted in the United States that followed 20,000 participants for 13 years, from class VII into early adulthood. Teen participants answered questions such as, “How often have you had trouble getting along with other students?” and “How often have you had trouble getting along with your teachers?”

Kim found that participants who reported better relationships with peers and teachers in middle and high school reported better physical and mental health in their mid-20s. “This research suggests that improving students’ relationships with teachers could have important, positive, and long-lasting effects beyond just academic success. It could also have important health implications in the long run,” says Kim.

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