Program
K-12 Administration Ed.D.
Number of Pages
106
Year Approved
2026
First Advisor
Jeanine Parolini
Second Reader
Joel Frederickson
Third Reader
Joni Burgin-Hartshorn
Abstract
Trust between school principals and faculty is critical to school effectiveness, influencing teacher job satisfaction, engagement, and ultimately, student achievement. While the importance of trust in educational leadership is well-documented, limited research exists on the specific practices that cultivate this trust. This study examines two potential antecedents of faculty trust in principals: Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Justice. Emotional Intelligence, encompassing self-awareness, empathy, and relationship management, is hypothesized to enhance faculty perceptions of a principal’s benevolence, reliability, and openness - all components of trust. Organizational Justice, which reflects fairness in decision-making and resource distribution, is expected to strengthen faculty trust by promoting consistency, honesty, and ethical leadership. Using a quantitative research design, this study will analyze teacher perceptions of their principals’ Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Justice, measuring their correlation with faculty Trust. The findings aim to provide school leaders with actionable insights to build trust, and in turn improve school culture, and foster conditions conducive to student success.
Degree Name
Education Doctorate
Document Type
Doctoral dissertation
Recommended Citation
Wolf, B. (2026). Antecedents of Trust: Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Justice as Predictors of Faculty Trust in Principals [Doctoral dissertation, Bethel University]. Spark Repository. https://spark.bethel.edu/etd/1254
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