Abstract
Number of longitudinal studies in educational psychology have shown that affective teacher-student relationships (RAEE) is beneficial both at school (success, perseverance, behaviour, etc.) and outside (decrease in depression, anxiety, delinquency, etc.) (Fortin, Plante & Bradley, 2011). However, its determinants have been little studied and the role of teachers' affective commitment on RAEE has not been estimated. This thesis grounded on attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969) aims at filling this gap with the concept of compassionate love (Underwood, 2008).In France, where the subject has not been quantitatively studied yet, the RAEE is greatly controversial, even taboo. Could its effects be tested empirically? The three motivational systems theory (Favre & Favre, 1993) enables us to understand and measure the effect of RAEE on adolescents.After validating a French version of the compassionate love scale for students (Sprecher & Fehr, 2005) in a sample of teachers (N = 275), it appears to be predictive of the RAEE (STRS, Pianta, 2001). This thesis also validates a psychometric tool to assess the three motivational systems in a sample of middle school students (N = 145). Then, this tool has been completed by other instruments assessing psychological adjustment (empathy, school variables and violence) and completed by two samples (N = 113 middle school students and N = 104 students from special education units called SEGPA): RAEE promotes innovation motivation, empathy and school adjustment while protecting against addiction motivation, school indiscipline and violence. This argues for a relational approach in education, as promoted by care theorists, and for a positive educational psychology.