BECE. Newsletter 

Vol.17, No.2, 2024, BECE 1865 

 

 

 

 

Teacher Vitality and Positive Teacher-Student 

Relationships: A Study of Emotional 

Transmission between Teachers and Students 

By Yan, W., Shi Z., & Peng, K. 
Correspondence to: Kaiping Peng, Tsinghua University, China. E-mail: 

pengkp@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn 

HE INTERACTION between teachers and students has long been a vital 

research question among educational researchers. In recent years, incre-

mental attention has been paid to the impact of positive psychological traits 

and emotions of teachers on teacher-student interactions. Drawing on the vi-

tality theory, this study posited that the vitality of teachers contributed to en-

hancing students’ vitality and fostering positive teacher-student relationships 

via the emotional transmission effect, particularly through students’ percep-

tion of teacher enthusiasm. This hypothesis was empirically examined with a 

sample of 2,386 Chinese secondary school students and 76 head teachers.  

Research findings:  

• After controlling for the gender and age of teacher and student 

participants, teacher vitality could significantly and positively 

predict students’ perception of positive teacher-student relation-

ships. 

• After controlling for the gender and age of teacher and student 

participants, teacher vitality could indirectly impact students’ 

perception of positive teacher-student relationships via the me-

diating effect of students’ perception of teacher enthusiasm; the 

mediating effect of student vitality; and the chain mediating ef-

fect of students’ perception of teacher enthusiasm and student 

vitality. 

Implications: 

• The role of teacher vitality in boosting positive teacher-student 

relationships is realized through the emotional transmission be-

tween teachers and students. 

• The teacher-student relationship, an integral part of classroom 

instruction, is interwoven into the whole processing of teaching 

and learning. Good teacher-student relationships substantially 

foster students’ development of knowledge and character. 

• Education administrators of all levels and school leaders should 

work to enhance the vitality of teachers and circumvent job 

T 

mailto:pengkp@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn


 

Vol.17, No.2, 2024, BECE 1866 

burnout in them by alleviating their work burdens and increas-

ing their professional autonomy; by engaging them in curricu-

lum management; and by optimizing their compensation as well 

as improving their physical and mental wellbeing. 

• The encouragement of teacher and student vitality necessitates a 

vibrant school climate. It is necessary for the society to pay re-

spect to the operation autonomy of the school, for the school 

administrators to pay respect to the professional autonomy of 

the teacher, and for teachers to pay respect to the student’ au-

tonomy in learning and development. 

 
Source: Journal of East China Normal University, 2024; 42(3):78-86.