Leadership practices and stress of Indiana special education directors during 2005-06

No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Piercy, Marcia L.
Advisor
Braaten, Sheldon
Issue Date
2006
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (D. Ed.)
Department
Department of Special Education
Other Identifiers
Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between special education directors' self-perceived leadership practices, self-perceived stress types, and self-reported demographics. The study included three parts: a demographic profile consisting of six variables; the self-report form of the Leadership Practices Inventory; and the self-report of the Administrative Stress Index. The forms were sent to all 115 special education directors in the state of Indiana and a response rate of 60% was utilized. The first null hypothesis that mean scale scores would not differ across the five leadership practices was not supported. Enable Others to Act and Model the Way scores were significant. The second null hypothesis that participants' scores would not differ across task-oriented and relationship oriented stress types was supported. There were no statistically significant relationships reported between leadership practice and self-reported task or relationship-oriented stress to support the third null hypothesis. The fourth null hypothesis that stress types will not differ when comparing the demographic variables was not supported. Directors with 16 or more years of experience in education and employed by a single planning district indicated more task-oriented stress compared to directors from both joint services and interlocal districts and those with less than 16 years experience in education. The fifth hypothesis that leadership practices would not differ when compared to demographic variables was not supported. Years of experience in education indicated significant results in three leadership practices, Model the Way, Challenge the Process, and Enable Others to Act. This may indicate a shift in leadership practices as experience increases.