Date of Award

Spring 5-2017

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Program

Counselor Education

Department

Counselor Education

Major Professor

Dr. Roxane Dufrene

Second Advisor

Dr. Zarus Watson

Third Advisor

Dr. Matthew Lyons

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Marc Bonis

Abstract

Since the inception of the school counseling profession, the role of school counselors has evolved in response to the social, political, and economic needs of society (Ergüner-Tekinalp, Leuwerke, & Terzi, 2009). Currently, the role of school counselors is to address the personal, social, academic, and career needs of students through a comprehensive development program (American School Counseling Association, ASCA, 2005). In school settings, counselors who are satisfied with their work are more effective in caring for clients and students (DeMato & Curcio, 2004). In recent years, administrators, including those working in school settings, have been called on to reassess the manner in which they lead, since leadership has an effect on the performance of employees and the functions of the institution (Armstrong, MacDonald, & Stillo, 2010; Luthans, 2002b). The present study assessed school counselors’ perceptions of their administrators’ leadership styles (i.e., positive, transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant) and the relationship between those perceptions and school counselors’ job experience (i.e., job satisfaction, feelings of mattering, and overall wellness). Administrators’ leadership styles were grouped for statistical purposes into two groups: 1) transformational and positive and 2) transactional and passive-avoidant. School counselors’ job experience was assessed through three interrelated variables that included job satisfaction, mattering (i.e., mattering to administrators and mattering to teachers), and overall wellness. In this study, administrators’ positive and transformational leadership styles, transactional and passive-avoidant administrator leadership styles, and school counselors’ job satisfaction, wellness, and mattering were correlated. Additionally, administrator leadership styles had the largest variance in school counselors’ job satisfaction, mattering, and wellness scores.

Rights

The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.

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