Leadership styles of principals and teacher job satisfaction in Christian fundamentalist academic schools

The purpose of this study was to describe teacher job satisfaction as measured by the Supervision Subscale of the Job Description Index and leadership styles of the principals as measured by the Leader Behavior Analysis (LBA) of a heavily value-laden subculture of Christian fundamentalists of the Tennessee Association of Christian Schools. Teachers' job satisfaction levels were analyzed by gender, age, educational background and two experience factors. Principals' leadership styles were measured using the Leader Behavior Analysis-Self (LBA-Self) questionnaire and by reports of the principals' teachers utilizing the Leader Behavior Analysis-Other (LBA-Other).

The study revealed that the majority of the principals (79%) perceived themselves as having multiple styles of leadership with a high relationship orientation while 86% of the teachers perceived their principals as exhibiting multiple styles of leadership with a high relationship orientation. This finding differs significantly from other studies that suggest this population would primarily utilize an authoritarian style with a high task orientation. Teachers overwhelmingly expressed satisfaction with the leadership style of their principal.