P-12 Research Studies - A Quantitative Study on Leader Behaviors and Teacher Well-Being: Low and High Socioeconomic Schools

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by McQueen

Instructional leaders in school buildings influence teachers’ well-being, yet limited research examines how leader behaviors relate to teacher well-being across socioeconomic contexts. This quantitative study tested whether statistically significant differences exist between leader behaviors and teacher well-being in high- and low-socioeconomic schools in Alabama. Survey data from the MLQ-5X and TSWQ were analyzed with independent-samples t-tests.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

National and school-level context

Leadership and organizational outcomes

Problem Statement

Review of Literature

Supportive climate and shared goals

Transformational and charismatic leadership

P-12 Research Studies A QUANTITATIVE STUDY ON LEADER BEHAVIORS AND TEACHER WELL-BEING: LOW AND HIGH SOCIOECONOMIC SCHOOLS Jason A. Bostic, Amy N. England, and Kara Chism Samford University Abstract Instructional leaders of the school building influence teachers’ well-being. While there have been many studies conducted regarding reasons teachers leave the classroom, very few studies focused on the differences between leader behaviors and teacher well-being The purpose of this research study was to determine if there were statistically significant differences between leader behaviors and teacher well-being at high and low socioeconomic schools located in Alabama. The study used survey data from the Multi-factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X) Instrument and the Teacher Subjective Well-Being Questionnaire (TSWQ) using an online Qualtrics platform. The study surveyed 46 participants in the high socioeconomic group and 44 participants in the low socioeconomic group. An independent samples t-test was conducted to determine if any significant differences exist between high and low socioeconomic schools regarding leader behaviors and teacher well-being. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in the leader behavior between low and high socioeconomic schools but not a statistically significant difference between teacher well-being between low and high socioeconomic schools. Keywords: leader behaviors, transformational leadership, teacher well-being, socioeconomic status, public school Lead author’s note: The authors provide permission to publish this manuscript. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jason Bostic: [j](jbostic@samford.edu)[bostic@samford.edu](jbostic@samford.edu) at 334-430-7779. Introduction The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (2015) reported that teachers in highpoverty schools, 75% or more students receiving free or reduced lunch, moved between schools ata rate of 12% . Meanwhile, 50% or less students receiving free or reduced lunch teachers in mid to low poverty schools and fewer left for other schools at a 6% rate. While many studies have been conducted to determine why teachers left the classroom, very few focused on the differences between leader behaviors and teacher well-being in low and high socioeconomic schools. Educators’ well-being is likely to prosper in environments that embody sustainability principles (Shirley et al., 2020) . Administrators who exhibited toxic behaviors damaged organizations by increasing turnover intentions and reducing job satisfaction of personnel (Bakkal et al., 2019) . DarlingHammond et al. (2007) indicated that the lack of adequate leadership sets up both principals and educators for failure, which contributes to high attrition rates among principals and educators in lower-performing schools. Murakami et al. (2017) concluded that the school principal played a vital role in developing relationships among faculty, staff, and the school community. Torff and Sessions (2009) mentioned that principals in high and low-performing schools saw similar deficiencies, indicating that teacher ineffectiveness varied little across schools that differed in socioeconomic status. While current research reported factors affecting student achievement in low and high socioeconomic status schools, there was not enough research to support whether leaders behave differently or if teachers feel differently in high and low socioeconomic schools. The studies did not address the differences between schools of both levels of socioeconomic status. Problem Statement This quantitative, comparative research study aimed to determine if there were statistically significant differences between leader behaviors and teacher well-being at high and low socioeconomic schools. It was unknown to what extent differences existed between leader behaviors and teacher well-being at different schools of varying socioeconomic st

FAQs

What was the purpose of this quantitative study?

To determine whether statistically significant differences exist between leader behaviors and teacher well-being in high- and low-socioeconomic schools in Alabama.

Which instruments and platform were used to collect the survey data?

The study used MLQ-5X (Multi-factor Leadership Questionnaire) and TSWQ (Teacher Subjective Well-Being Questionnaire) administered through an online Qualtrics platform.

What did the results indicate about leader behaviors and teacher well-being across socioeconomic groups?

Leader behaviors differed significantly between low- and high-socioeconomic schools, while teacher well-being did not differ significantly between the two groups.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by McQueen