Need-supportive and need-thwarting interpersonal behaviors by teachers and classmates in adolescence: The mediating role of basic psychological needs on school alienation and academic achievement

School alienation is a sense of estrangement from learning and knowledge, which is related with low academic achievement and often influenced by negative relationship with teacher and classmate, negatively affecting the student psychological well-being. In accordance with self-determination theory, the interpersonal context may or may not support the individual, depending on whether it contributes to satisfaction or, conversely, to frustration of the "basic psychological needs". Therefore, it is important to understand the factors that influence students' subjective well-being, in order to prevent the onset of problems that can have negative repercussions on their functioning and health. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating role of the basic psychological needs on the relationship between students' perceptions of teachers' and classmates' need-supportive and need-thwarting interpersonal behaviors and school alienation and academic achievement. A total of 399 students, with an average age of 16.88 years, participated in this study. The results showed the role of basic psychological needs in the relationship between teachers' and classmates' need-supportive and need-thwarting interpersonal behaviors, school alienation, and academic achievement. This study extends the knowledge of the factors that can influence the school functioning of adolescents, with important application implications in school context.