HEADS’ LEADERSHIP STYLES AND TEACHERS’ STRESS MANAGEMENT AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Abstract

the teaching staff and emotion management in relation to the mediating effect of emotion intelligence. Three hundred and ninety-six secondary school teachers of District Gujrat were sampled using standardized questionnaires. Results of the correlation and regression analysis showed that both transactional and transformational leadership styles had a significant positive impact on stress management by teachers. Transformational leadership and emotional intelligence were also important predictors, which confirms the importance of conducive leadership and personal qualities in alleviating stress. In addition, there was partial mediation of transformational leadership and stress management by emotional intelligence implying that emotional intelligence will also mediate this association. Emotional intelligence, under transactional leadership, had a more complex, negative mediating effect which shows that the transactional style of leadership lessens the use of personal emotional management since it is highly structured and reward oriented. The results highlight the importance of cultivating both beneficial leadership behaviours and the emotional intelligence of teachers, to enhance stress coping abilities.