Classroom Climate and the Basic Psychological Needs of Students in Special Education: The Moderating Role of Anxiety and Gender

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Reference

*Cloutier G, Julien C, Francoeur A, Therriault D, Smith J, Garon-Carrier G. (2025). Classroom Climate and the Basic Psychological Needs of Students in Special Education: The Moderating Role of Anxiety and Gender. Psychology in the Schools, 1-14.

Abstract

This study investigated the associations between classroom climate dimensions (academic support, emotional support, and classroom organization) and basic psychological need satisfaction in students with special educational needs (SEN). It also examined whether anxiety symptoms and gender moderate these associations. Students in Grades 5 and 6 (N = 365; 59.3% boys) provided self-reports on classroom climate and need satisfaction. Child anxiety was assessed via parent report. Multivariate linear regression models were performed, controlling for child age, household income, and school socioeconomic index, and included interaction terms for classroom climate dimensions, anxiety, and gender. Findings indicate that all dimensions of classroom climate were significantly associated with greater satisfaction of basic psychological needs. The positive association between academic support and the need for relatedness was stronger at higher levels of anxiety, suggesting that academic support may be particularly important for the sense of belonging of these students. No significant interactions with gender were found. Our findings carry important practical implications for teachers, highlighting the need to enhance academic support, emotional support, and classroom organization to foster the psychological need satisfaction of students with SEN. These implications extend to both classroom practices (e.g., practical strategies and adaptations) and opportunities for professional development.

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