Okul Liderliğinde Etik Boyut: Öğretmenlerin Mesleki Duygusal Bağlılıkları Üzerine Yansımaları

Abstract

This study investigates the association between school principals’ ethical leadership and teachers’ affective occupational commitment. A quantitative correlational survey design was used. The participants were 381 teachers working in public schools in Istanbul’s Küçükçekmece district. Data were obtained through the Ethical Leadership Scale and the Four-Dimensional Occupational Commitment Scale. The findings indicate that teachers have a high perception of ethical leadership and a very high level of professional affective commitment. Analyses by demographic variables indicated that neither ethical leadership perceptions nor affective occupational commitment differed significantly by gender, whereas significant differences emerged across age groups. Ethical leadership perceptions also varied by teachers’ educational level and years of service; however, affective occupational commitment did not show significant differences across these variables. Multiple regression analyses reveal that communicative and behavioral ethical leadership behaviors significantly influence teachers’ affective commitment to their occupation. In this regard, the study highlights the predictive role of school principals’ communicative and behavioral ethical leadership dimensions on affective occupational commitment, thereby providing concrete findings on which content areas should be prioritized in in-service training programs.

This study investigates the association between school principals’ ethical leadership and teachers’ affective occupational commitment. A quantitative correlational survey design was used. The participants were 381 teachers working in public schools in Istanbul’s Küçükçekmece district. Data were obtained through the Ethical Leadership Scale and the Four-Dimensional Occupational Commitment Scale. The findings indicate that teachers have a high perception of ethical leadership and a very high level of professional affective commitment. Analyses by demographic variables indicated that neither ethical leadership perceptions nor affective occupational commitment differed significantly by gender, whereas significant differences emerged across age groups. Ethical leadership perceptions also varied by teachers’ educational level and years of service; however, affective occupational commitment did not show significant differences across these variables. Multiple regression analyses reveal that communicative and behavioral ethical leadership behaviors significantly influence teachers’ affective commitment to their occupation. In this regard, the study highlights the predictive role of school principals’ communicative and behavioral ethical leadership dimensions on affective occupational commitment, thereby providing concrete findings on which content areas should be prioritized in in-service training programs.