Effectiveness of School Principals' Transformational Leadership in Reducing Teachers' Burnout under Normally Demanding versus Extremely Demanding Work Conditions

Sarit Rashkovits^1, and Yael Livne¹

¹Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Israel

Cite this paper:
Sarit Rashkovits and Yael Livne. Effectiveness of School Principals' Transformational Leadership in Reducing Teachers' Burnout under Normally Demanding versus Extremely Demanding Work Conditions. American Journal of Educational Research. 2016; 4(14):1015-1018. doi: 10.12691/education-4-14-5

Abstract

This study examines the effect of transformational leadership of school principals on teachers' level of burnout under two types of work conditions, i.e. extremely demanding versus normally demanding schools. Data were obtained from a sample of 263 teachers working in both types of schools, and the hypotheses were tested using hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Results supported all three research hypotheses, showing that (a) burnout level is higher in extremely demanding schools in comparison to normally demanding schools; (b) school principals' level of transformational leadership negatively affects the level of teachers' burnout; (c) this effect is moderated by school type (extremely- vs. normally demanding), such that transformational leadership is more effective in reducing burnout in less demanding schools rather than in high demanding schools. The finding shed light on contextual contingencies of the transformational leadership-burnout relationship.

Keywords:
transformational leadership burnout relationship work conditions

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	S. Sonnentag, and M. Frese, “Stress in Organizations”. In Weiner, I.B., Schmitt, N.W. and Highhouse, S. (Eds.), Comprehensive Handbook of Psychology, John Wiley, New York, NY, 2012, 2, pp. 560-592.
[2]	M.P. Leiter, and C. Maslach, “Areas of Worklife: A Structured Approach to Organizational Predictors of Job Burnout”, In Perrewe, P.L. and Ganster, D.C. (Eds.), Research in Occupational Stress and Well-Being, Elsevier, Oxford, 2004, 3, pp. 91-134.
[3]	C.Maslach, W.B. Schaufeli, and M.P. Leiter, “Job Burnout”, Annual Review of Psychology, 2001, 52, pp. 397-422.
[4]	S.E. Hobfoll, (1989), “Conservation of Resources: A New Attempt at Conceptualizing Stress”, American Psychologist, 1989, 44, pp. 513-524.
[5]	A.B. Bakker, and E. Demerouti, “The Job Demands–Resources Model: State of the Art, Journal of Managerial Psychology, 2007, 22, pp. 309-328.
[6]	J.D. Nahrgang, F.P. Morgeson, and D.A. Hofmann, (2011). “Safety at Work: A Meta-Analytic Investigation of the Link Between Job Demands, Job Resources, Burnout, Engagement, and Safety Outcomes”, Journal of Applied Psychology, 2011, 96(1), pp. 71-95.
[7]	W.B. Schaufeli, and A.B. Bakker, “Job Demands, Job Resources, and Their Relationship with Burnout and Engagement: A Multi-Sample Study”, Journal of Organizational Behavior, 2004, 25(3), pp. 293-315.
[8]	L.L. Ten Brummelhuis, C.L. Ter Hoeven, A.B. Bakker, and B. Peper, “Breaking Through the Loss Cycle of Burnout: The Role of Motivation”, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 2011, 84(2), pp. 268-287.
[9]	‏A. Van den Broeck, M. Vansteenkiste, H. De Witte, and W. Lens, “Explaining the Relationships between Job Characteristics, Burnout, and Engagement: The Role of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction”, Work & Stress, 2008, 22(3), pp. 277-294.
[10]	R.P. Chaplain, “Stress and Psychological Distress among Trainee Secondary Teachers in England”, Educational Psychology, 2008, 28, pp. 195-209.
[11]	J.J. Hakanen, A.B. Bakker, and W.B. Schaufeli, “Burnout and Work Engagement among Teachers”, Journal of School Psychology, 2006, 43(6), pp. 495-513.
[12]	M. Cohen-Navot, S. Frankovitch, and T. Reinfeld, Open and Hidden Dropping Out Among Youth. Jerusalem: Joint Distribution Committee-Brookdale Institute, 2000, (in Hebrew).
[13]	G. McCluskey, “Exclusion from School: What Can ‘Included’ Pupils Tell Us?” British Educational Research Journal, 2008, 34(4), pp. 447-66.
[14]	M. Razer, V.J. Friedman, and B. Warshofsky, “Schools as Agents of Social Exclusion and Inclusion”, International Journal of Inclusive Education, 2013, 17(11), pp. 1152-1170.‏
[15]	H. Hetland, G.M. Sandal, and T.B. Johnsen, “Burnout in the Information Technology Sector: Does Leadership Matter?”, European journal of work and organizational psychology, 2007, 16(1), pp. 58-75.‏
[16]	S. Kovjanic, S.C. Schuh, and K. Jonas, “Transformational Leadership and Performance: An Experimental Investigation of the Mediating Effects of Basic Needs Satisfaction and Work Engagement”, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 2013, 86, pp. 543-555.
[17]	W.B. Schaufeli, “Engaging Leadership in the Job Demands-Resources Model”, Career Development International, 2016, 20(5), pp. 446-463.
[18]	B.M. Bass, Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations, The Free Press, New York, 1985.
[19]	G. Yukl, “An Evaluation of Conceptual Weaknesses in Transformational and Charismatic Leadership Theories”, The Leadership Quarterly, 1999, 10, pp. 285-305.
[20]	J. Skakon, K. Nielsen, V. Borg, and J. Guzman, “Are Leader’s Well-Being, Behaviors and Style Associated with The Affective Well-Being of Their Employees? A Systematic Review of Three Decades of Research”, Work & Stress, 2010, 24 (2), pp. 107-139.
[21]	A.N. Pieterse, D. Van Knippenberg, M. Schippers, and D. Stam, “Transformational and Transactional Leadership and Innovative Behavior: The Moderating Role of Psychological Empowerment”, Journal of Organizational Behavior, 2010, 31(4), pp. 609-623.‏
[22]	D.N. Den Hartog, and F.D. Belschak, “When Does Transformational Leadership Enhance Employee Proactive Behavior? The Role of Autonomy and Role Breadth Self-Efficacy”, Journal of Applied Psychology, 2012, 97(1), pp. 194-202.
[23]	A. Schmitt, D.N. Den Hartog, and F.D. Belschak, “Transformational Leadership and Proactive Work Behaviour: A Moderated Mediation Model Including Work Engagement and Job Strain”. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 2016.
[24]	I.A. Friedman, “Turning Our Schools into A Healthier Workplace: Bridging Between Professional Self-Efficacy and Professional Demands”, Understanding and Preventing Teacher Burnout: A Sourcebook of International Research and Practice, 1999, pp. 166-175.‏
[25]	C. Maslach, and S.E. Jackson, “The Measurement of Experienced Burnout”, Journal of organizational behavior, 1981, 2(2), pp. 99-113.‏
[26]	B.M. Bass, and B.J. Avolio, Transformational Leadership Development: Manual for the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, CA, 1990.