Date
9-17-2026
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
Chair
Matthew Ferdock
Keywords
transformational leadership, HEXACO, psychological safety, law enforcement
Disciplines
Law | Psychology
Recommended Citation
Lentz, Daniel Q., "Beyond Transformational Leadership: The Moderating Role of Leader HEXACO Personality Traits in Fostering Psychological Safety in Law Enforcement" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8876.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8876
Abstract
Law enforcement agencies struggle to recruit and retain officers due to lack of public support, criticism, and declining well-being, which raises stress levels. While operational stress affects officers, organizational stress is more damaging. Transformational leadership can help create a psychologically safe work environment, but research on this link is limited and mixed. This study examined how each HEXACO personality trait (Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Openness) moderates this relationship, drawing on social exchange and attribution theories. Conducted in U.S. law enforcement agencies, a survey assessed officers' perceptions of their leader’s transformational style, HEXACO traits, and psychological safety. Moderation and mediation analyses were conducted. Results show transformational leadership positively predicts psychological safety, with agreeableness (AGREE) and the emotionality facets of fearfulness and anxiety (FEAR/ANX) as significant moderators (AGREE: b = -0.18, SE = 0.07, p < .001; FEAR/ANX: b = -0.20, SE = 0.09, p = .036); all other traits were not significant moderators. Each HEXACO trait predicted transformational leadership, and transformational leadership partially or fully mediated the relationship between HEXACO traits and psychological safety (Honesty-Humility: b = 0.79, 95% CI [.54 – 1.10]; Emotionality: b = -1.01, 95% CI [-1.32, -0.71]; Extraversion: b = 1.24, 95% CI [0.81, 1.70]; Agreeableness: b = 0.60, 95% CI [0.41, 0.83]; Conscientiousness: b = 1.06, 95% CI [0.75, 1.47]; Openness to experience: b = 0.76, 95% CI [0.34, 1.20]). Given the crucial role of law enforcement, effective leadership is essential. Therefore, leaders can be selected and developed based on their HEXACO personality traits.
