Date
11-17-2023
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
Chair
Kathleen Andrews
Keywords
transformational leadership, job satisfaction, leadership behaviors, mental health leaders
Disciplines
Psychology
Recommended Citation
Blakeley, Taylor, "Transformational Leadership Behaviors Promoting Job Satisfaction in Mental Health Leaders: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4951.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4951
Abstract
Similar to leaders in other roles, mental health leaders are responsible for leading, supporting, and guiding their followers. Transformational leadership and job satisfaction are two popular areas of research. However, research primarily focuses on followers’ job satisfaction rather than leaders with transformational leadership. This study focused on what and how mental health leaders’ transformational leadership behaviors promote their job satisfaction. This study used a qualitative phenomenological research design with semi-structured interviews as the data collection method. The population sample consisted of ten (10) mental health leaders. The participants were recruited using social media platforms Facebook, LinkedIn, and Liberty University’s School of Behavioral Sciences faculty and student email database. Participants answered seven formal interview and follow-up questions about leadership behaviors promoting job satisfaction. Data analysis was conducted through Quirkos 2.5 qualitative analysis software. The data was coded and placed into themes representing mental health leaders’ responses to what transformational leadership behaviors promote their job satisfaction. The study found six themes associated with leadership behaviors promoting job satisfaction. The themes were encouraging growth and development, building trust, expressing self-awareness behaviors, work factors promoting job satisfaction, building teamwork, and creating a positive work culture. Member-checking and data saturation validated the study’s findings, showing validity and reliability. Researchers and mental health organizational leadership can use the implications of the study to help further develop job satisfaction among mental health leaders by designing training programs from the findings.
