Principal Support of Teacher Psychological Needs: The Conceptualization and Measurement of a New Construct

• In Event: Administrator Support of School and Teacher Emotional Needs

Abstract

This study advances Principal Support of Teacher Psychological Needs (PSTPN) as a tool to globally measure teacher perception of principal-teacher interactions, namely conversations, which have the potential to ignite teacher personal and professional well-being, motivation, and development. The purpose is to establish the foundation for a line of inquiry around PSTPN by (1) situating PSTPN within the broader leadership literature, (2) describing the role of conversation as a core and defining component of school leadership, (3) conceptualizing PSTPN by utilizing organizational conversation and self-determination theory, (4) developing PSTPN as a measurable construct, (5) empirically testing the validity and reliability of the PSTPN scale, and finally (6) providing initial evidence of the viability of PSTPN as an effective leadership practice.

Author

• Jentre J. Olsen, The University of Oklahoma