Date
12-4-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)
Chair
Eric Lovik
Keywords
Communication orientation, assertiveness, responsiveness, leadership styles, higher education, Jamaica
Disciplines
Educational Leadership | Higher Education
Recommended Citation
Elliott, Zandy Uriel, "A Predictive Correlational Study of the Relationship Between Faculty Leadership Styles and Teacher Communication Orientation in Jamaica’s Higher Education System" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7701.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7701
Abstract
This quantitative study examined the extent to which faculty leadership styles, gender, and years of experience predict teacher communication orientation, specifically assertiveness (TCO-A) and responsiveness (TCO-R), among higher educational institutions in Jamaica. Grounded in communication theory and leadership frameworks, the study explored how faculty leadership express themselves and respond to others. Data were collected from 216 faculty members using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Sociocommunicative Orientation Scale (SCO). Descriptive analyses indicated that participants’ mean responsiveness scores were slightly higher than assertiveness scores across all years-of-experience categories, with many displaying traits consistent with an “Amiable” to “Expressive” communication profile (high responsiveness and moderate/high assertiveness). Multiple regression analyses revealed that leadership styles, gender, and years of experience did not predict assertiveness or responsiveness. Transformational leadership exhibited stronger, although non-significant, relationship with responsiveness than with assertiveness. These findings suggest that communication behaviors may be more strongly influenced by personality or institutional culture than by leadership style or demographics. The study addresses a regional gap in Caribbean higher education research and demonstrates the applicability of the MLQ and SCO instruments. Practically, the results highlight the importance of leadership development programs that foster responsive communication. Future research should employ mixed-methods designs, consider categorical communication profiles, and include cross-cultural comparisons to further explore the interplay between leadership, teacher communication orientation, and educational effectiveness.
