Exploring the influence of abusive leadership on teachers mental well-being in secondary schools

Title : Exploring the influence of abusive leadership on teachers mental well-being in secondary schools

Abstract:

Abusive leadership affects teachers’ mental health, motivation, emotional stability, and job performance at schools, especially their psychological distress, job dissatisfaction, and professional disengagement. This study explores how abusive leadership influences teachers’ mental health in secondary schools. It adopted a qualitative research approach and used a case study design. Fifteen teachers from diverse backgrounds were purposively selected from secondary schools in the Vhembe district, South Africa. Semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis of school policies and leadership reports were used to collect data, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon. Thematic results revealed that abusive leadership could affect teachers' mental well-being, by causing emotional distress and psychological well-being, lack of institutional support, and fear of retaliation, poor students’ academic and school culture, and inconsistencies in leadership policies and practices. The study suggested interventions such as leadership development programmes, strengthened enforcement of policies, and institutional support systems to mitigate the negative effects of abusive leadership. Its implications underscore the need for ethical and transformational leadership in schools to promote teachers' psychological safety and professional well-being. It further advocated a more sustainable and supportive work environment that enhances teacher retention and educational quality.

Biography:

Kananga Robert Mukuna (PhD) is currently a Senior Lecturer at the University of Free State, Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Foundations, Educational Psychology, South Africa. He was a postdoctoral fellow and held a Ph.D. and a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. He completed his Honours degree in Industrial Psychology from the University of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo. He serves as a Special Interest Group leader for the Psychosocialities of Teaching and Learning at the Faculty of Education, UFS. He is passionate about research, focusing on Psychological Assessment, Psychosocial Factors, Rural Education, Inclusive Education, Multiculturalism, Educational Psychology, and Community Psychology. He is an NRF Funding holder. He is an academic champion of the International Collaboration Engagement between the University of the Free State and Ludwigsburg University of Education in Germany.