Abstract:
This study focused on the relationship between teacher stress and burnout and the leadership styles of elementary school principals as perceived by elementary school teachers. The topic of stress is one that has been ongoing for hundreds of years but the teaching profession has seen an increase in this condition over the past four decades. Teacher stress and burnout is a condition that can impact teacher health, job retention, teaching performance, and beyond. Therefore, this topic is important as the findings could serve to help minimize this condition. It could also inform educational leaders about leadership styles and their relation to stress and burnout. Sosik and Godshalk’s (2000) model of leadership style, mentoring functions received, and job related stress, was the theoretical framework that guided this study. The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was used to analyze statistical data via the Maslach Burnout Inventory: Educator’s Survey (MBI) and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire - Form 5X – Rater Form (MLQ). The results of this study revealed that there is a statistically significant relationship between the leadership styles of elementary school principals and teacher stress and burnout, which aligned with the majority of the literature on this topic.
