The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership And Teacher Job Satisfaction: Empirical Evidence From China

Abstract

Currently, there are few studies on the relationship between transformational leadership and teacher job satisfaction in the field of education in China. This study aims to explore this relationship within the context of Chinese Confucian culture. A total of 385 primary school teachers in Zunyi School District participated in a questionnaire survey. This quantitative study utilized the 12-item Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ 5X), adapted from Bass and Avolio (1995), and the 5-item Teacher Job Satisfaction (TJS) scale from the International Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) assessments. The structural equation model (SEM) indicated a good fit with the data: χ²/df=1.25 (1-3), p<0.001, NFI=0.98 (≥0.90), TLI=0.99 (≥0.90), CFI=0.99 (≥0.90), and RMSEA=0.026 (≤0.08). The results revealed that transformational leadership had a significant positive effect on teachers' job satisfaction (β=0.36, p<0.001). Furthermore, multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that the dimensions of Intellectual Stimulation (B=0.127, p=0.028) and Individual Consideration (B=0.143, p=0.007) significantly affected teachers' job satisfaction. However, the other two dimensions, Idealized Influence (p=0.696) and Inspirational Motivation (p=0.080), did not show significant effects on teachers' job satisfaction. This study highlights the nuanced impacts of different dimensions of transformational leadership on job satisfaction within a unique cultural context.