Date
10-14-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Donald J. Lauer III
Keywords
Quantitative, Individualized Consideration, Transformational Leadership, Educator, Burnout, Urban, Primary Schools, Correlational
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Vital, Mark, "A Quantitative Predictive Correlational Study of the Transformational Leadership Practice of Individualized Consideration and the Emotional Exhaustion Aspect of Burnout Among Educators in Urban Primary Schools" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8967.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8967
Abstract
This quantitative correlational study investigated the relationship between the transformational leadership practice of individualized consideration and levels of burnout among educators in urban primary school settings. Grounded in transformational leadership theory and the principles of self-determination theory, the study explored whether leaders who demonstrated individualized support and mentorship could effectively mitigate burnout symptoms among their teaching staff. This correlational study collected data from teachers in an urban primary school using validated instruments that measured perceived leadership behaviors and burnout levels. Data were collected through the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Educators Survey, which were distributed via email. Statistical analyses, including Pearson correlation and regression modeling, were employed to examine the strength and direction of the relationship between individualized consideration and emotional exhaustion, a subscale of burnout. A large, negative correlation was found between individualized consideration and emotional exhaustion, r(95) = −.53, p < .001. The regression model was statistically significant, F(1, 95) = 36.87, p < .001, and individualized consideration explained 28% of the variance in emotional exhaustion (R² = .28). The findings contributed to the literature on leadership and teacher well-being and offered practical implications for school administrators, leadership development programs, and policy initiatives aimed at improving teacher retention and fostering healthier school environments. This study addressed gaps in the literature by isolating the effects of individualized consideration within transformational leadership and applying them to the unique context of urban primary education.
