Abstract
<p>The purpose of the research study was to (a) determine how teachers’ perceptions of the leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and passive) of middle school principals and instructional leaders differed; (b) identify the extent to which teachers’ perceptions of the leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and passive) of school leaders (principal and instructional leader) predicted the teacher and principal behavior variables of school climate; and (c) determine the effects of the type of agreement (high-high, high-low, low-high, and low-low) between the school leaders’ (principal and instructional leader) self-perceptions and teachers’ perceptions of the school leaders’ transformational leadership style on the teacher and principal openness behavior variables of school climate. Causal comparative and correlational designs were utilized for the study. The sample population consisted of 7 principals, 7 instructional leaders, and 114 teachers from 7 middle schools in Connecticut. Teachers completed the <em>Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5X </em>to assess their perceptions of the leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and passive) of principals and instructional leaders, while principals and instructional leaders completed the self-rater form of the <em>Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5X</em>. In addition, teachers completed the <em>Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire-RM </em>to assess teacher and principal openness behavior variables of school climate. Paired samples <em>t </em>tests, stepwise multiple regression, and multivariate analysis of covariance were performed to analyze the data.</p>
<p>First, results of paired samples <em>t </em>tests indicated that significant differences exist between teachers’ perceptions of the leadership styles of principals and instructional leaders. Next, results of stepwise multiple regressions indicated that (a) the principals’ transformational leadership style predicted the teacher openness behavior variable of school climate and (b) the principals’ transformational leadership style, principals’ transactional leadership styles, instructional leaders’ passive leadership style, and instructional leader’ transformational leadership style predicted the principal openness behavior variable of school climate. Finally, results of multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that the discrepancy between principals’ self-perception of the transformational leadership style and teachers’ perceptions of the principals’ transformational leadership style significantly affected the teacher and principal openness behaviors variables of school climate. However, no significant effect was found when the analysis was conducted with instructional leaders in place of principals.</p>
