This study aimed to explore the influence of Early Head Start teachers’ educational experiences and psychological well-being on their perceptions of parent-teacher relationship qualities. Through the use of an exploratory analytical approach, this study examined the impact of 134 Early Head Start teachers’ educational and professional development experience, as well as that of their psychological well-being (i.e., depressive symptoms, work-related stress, well-being), on their perceptions of the quality of their relationship with parents as a general group and with a specific parent of a child in their classroom. Standard regression analyses were conducted. Results suggest that teachers’ educational and professional development experiences were not associated with their relationship quality with parents; however, their psychological well-being was. Specifically, results suggest that teachers’ depressive symptoms may have a moderating effect on the association between their work-related well-being and particular measures of parent-teacher relationship quality. These findings encourage the examination of how pre- and in-service education and professional development experiences are taught and assessed, as well as the further exploration of the influence of teachers’ psychological well-being on their role in developing high-quality parent-teacher relationships. Limitations of this study are also discussed.
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