Psychology RootsAttachment to Teacher – Rochester Youth Development Study
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About Attachment to Teacher – Rochester Youth Development Study
Scale Name
Attachment to Teacher – Rochester Youth Development Study
Author Details
Carolyn Smith, Alan J. Lizotte, Terence P. Thornberry, and Marvin D. Krohn
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Attachment to Teacher scale, developed by Carolyn Smith, Alan J. Lizotte, Terence P. Thornberry, and Marvin D. Krohn in 1995 as part of the Rochester Youth Development Study (RYDS), is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure youths’ agreement about how much they like and respect their teachers. The RYDS, initiated in 1986 by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, is a longitudinal study of 1,000 adolescents in Rochester, New York, starting in grades 7-8 (1988) and followed into adulthood, focusing on delinquency, drug use, and protective factors. The scale targets urban youth to assess the strength of their emotional and social bonds with teachers, a key component of the Social Development Model and interactional theory, which suggest that strong teacher attachment fosters prosocial behavior and reduces delinquency.
The scale comprises five items rated on a 4-point Likert scale (1 = “strongly disagree” to 4 = “strongly agree”), evaluating feelings of liking, respect, and trust toward teachers (e.g., “I like my teachers” or “I respect what my teachers say”). Higher scores (range: 5-20) indicate greater attachment to teachers. Validated in a diverse urban sample over-representing high-risk youth, the scale is integral to RYDS findings that link teacher attachment to lower rates of delinquency and school dropout. Its focus on teacher relationships complements other RYDS measures of school commitment and peer influences.
Psychologists, educators, and criminologists use the scale to identify protective factors against delinquency, evaluate school-based interventions, and inform programs fostering positive teacher-student relationships, such as mentoring or classroom management training. Its moderate internal consistency and longitudinal validation enhance its research utility, though its English-only availability, urban focus, and modest reliability may limit broader application.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the Attachment to Teacher scale from RYDS publications, such as Smith et al. (1995) in Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency or ICPSR archives (e.g., ICPSR 35167), ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses feelings toward teachers to understand school engagement and behavior, emphasizing confidentiality.
- Provide instructions, asking respondents to rate each of the five items based on their agreement with statements about liking and respecting teachers, using the 4-point scale, typically reflecting current attitudes.
- Approximate time for completion is about 2-3 minutes, given its concise format.
- Administer in a classroom, research lab, or interview setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment to encourage honest responses.
Reliability and Validity
The Attachment to Teacher scale exhibits moderate psychometric properties. Internal consistency is acceptable, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.63, indicating modest item cohesion, likely due to the small number of items or variability in teacher-specific experiences. Test-retest reliability is not explicitly reported but is inferred to be adequate based on RYDS’s longitudinal design with high retention (mean = 91%).
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as school engagement and commitment to school (r ≈ 0.40-0.60), and its inverse relationship with delinquency and drug use (r ≈ -0.30 to -0.50), as shown in RYDS studies (Smith et al., 1995). Discriminant validity is evidenced by weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, such as family dynamics (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict lower delinquency rates and better school outcomes, with stronger teacher attachment linked to reduced serious offending in RYDS findings. Factor analyses are not detailed, but the scale’s focus on teacher-specific attachment supports construct validity. These properties affirm the scale’s utility in developmental and criminological research, though its moderate reliability suggests cautious interpretation.
Available Versions
05-Items
Reference
Smith, C., Lizotte, A. J., Thornberry, T. P., & Krohn, M. D. (1995). Resilient youth: Identifying factors that prevent high-risk youth from engaging in delinquency and drug use. Current perspectives on aging and the life course, 4, 217-247.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Attachment to Teacher scale measure?
It measures youths’ liking and respect for their teachers.
Who can use the scale?
Researchers, psychologists, and educators studying school engagement and delinquency.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 2-3 minutes.
Is the scale specific to urban youth?
Yes, it was validated in a diverse urban sample of grades 7-8 students.
Can the scale inform school interventions?
Yes, it identifies teacher attachment as a protective factor, but moderate reliability requires caution.
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