Physical contact as a support for well-being in the teacher–student relationship: analysing the effects of anti COVID restraints

The possibility of physical interaction is often described as a supportive element for children’s social-emotional development during the pre-school years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, distancing rules and extended periods of online instruction reduced opportunities for teachers and young children to engage in ordinary, everyday physical contact. In this study, we examined whether a decrease in such contact was associated with teachers’ reports of children’s psychological difficulties, and whether the quality of the teacher–child relationship played a moderating role. Eighty-one teachers (78 female; Mage= 48.89, SDage = 8.69) completed the Student–Teacher Relationship Scale, the Questionnaire of Reduced Physical Contact, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, providing information on 1,080 children (549 female; Mage = 6.3, SDage = 1.76). When teachers reported lower levels of closeness in their relationships with children, a greater reduction in physical contact was associated with higher overall psychological difficulties. A similar pattern was observed for specific domains, particularly conduct problems and hyperactivity, where closeness again moderated these associations. The findings provide a snapshot of how pandemic restrictions were reflected in early educational settings and highlight relational factors that may be relevant when planning future support strategies.