SECURE ATTACHMENT IN TEACHER–STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS: IMPLICATIONS FOR EMOTIONAL REGULATION AND STUDENT WELLBEING

Abstract

This article is a direct continuation of a previous paper that presented the growing problem of emotional dysregulation among students in Israel, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war following October 7, 2023. While the previous article described the scope of the problem and the existing knowledge gap, this article proposes a theoretical framework for understanding a mechanism that may help address it: secure attachment between teacher and student. Drawing on Bowlby's (1969, 1980) attachment theory and Ainsworth et al.'s (1978) work, the article examines how teacher-student relationships characterized by warmth, sensitivity, and trust, known as a 'secure base', contribute to emotional regulation, academic achievement, and students' psychological well-being. Special attention is given to the rehabilitative potential of such relationships as a corrective factor for children with insecure attachment histories, and to the role of teachers as protective figures during the ongoing Israeli security crisis. The review highlights consistent findings in the international literature, alongside a substantial research gap in the Israeli context: no systematic study has been conducted in Israel examining the relationship between attachment style (secure vs. insecure) between teacher and student and emotional regulation capacities among elementary school students.