Institute of Special Education Departments Research
Interplay Between Learning Difficulties and Students` Socio-Emotional Experience

Interplay Between Learning Difficulties and Students` Socio-Emotional Experience

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Learning and behavioral difficulties frequently co-occur in school settings. The interplay between learning processes and socio-emotional experience is multifaceted and multicausal. As part of our research, we address various dimensions of these links, aiming to identify key starting points for the design of school-based support.

Learning and behavioral difficulties frequently co-occur in school settings. The interplay between learning processes and socio-emotional experience is multifaceted and multicausal. As part of our research, we address various dimensions of these links, aiming to identify key starting points for the design of school-based support.

Research Areas

  • Academic Pressure, Anxiety, and Stress

    The perceived burden experienced by students is a central focus of numerous discourses in educational research. Among other findings, students are increasingly reporting heightened levels of academic pressure, which is accompanied by achievement-related anxiety and stress and can lead to long-term negative consequences. Through our research, we aim to contribute to the identification of personal and situational factors that influence students' levels of strain. Our goal is to develop a deeper understanding of the student experience and to identify key starting points for prevention and intervention.

    Contact person:

    Saskia Becker & Moritz Börnert-Ringleb

    Recent Publications:

    Becker, S., & Börnert-Ringleb, M. (2024). Zur querschnittlichen Beziehung von Leistungsdruck, Leistungsorientierungen und dem Erleben von Angst und Stress in der Schule. Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft27(5), 1329–1350. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-024-01250-7

    Becker, S. J., & Börnert-Ringleb, M. (2025). Stress and anxiety in schools: A multilevel analysis of individual and class-level e ects of achievement and competitiveness. Frontiers in Education9(1519161). https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1519161

  • Bullying and Basic Psychological Needs

    Bullying represents a critical issue in school contexts, characterized by complex causes and motives. It is hypothesized that the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, as formulated in Self-Determination Theory, are motivationally linked to bullying behavior. Based on this assumption, teachers may have the potential to proactively prevent bullying by shaping students' social and academic experiences, thereby influencing the satisfaction or frustration of these basic psychological needs.

    Contact person:

    Christian Drengk

    Recent Publications:

    Drengk, C., & Börnert-Ringleb, M. (2023). Eine Untersuchung der Beziehung von Bullying, dem Bedürfnis nach sozialer Eingebundenheit und unterstützendem Lehrkraftverhalten bei Schüler*innen in der Sekundarstufe. Empirische Sonderpädagogik1, 3–20. https://www.psychologie-aktuell.com/fileadmin/Redaktion/Journale/esp-2023-1/ESP_2023-1_3-20.pdf

    Drengk, C., & Börnert-Ringleb, M. (2024). Zur Beziehung von Bullying, psychologischen Grundbedürfnissen und bedürfnisbezogener Wettbewerbsorientierung. Zeitschrift für Pädagogische Psychologie, 1010-0652/a000393. https://doi.org/10.1024/1010-0652/a000393

    Drengk, C., & Börnert-Ringleb, M. (2025). Eine Untersuchung der Beziehung von Bullying, schulleistungsbezogener Wettbewerbsorientierung und leistungsorientierter Lehrkraftpräferenz. Unterrichtswissenschafthttps://doi.org/10.1007/s42010-025-00231-x