Poker Face to Bye Bye in Schools: The Effect of School Administrators' Emotions on Job Satisfaction

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of school administrators’ emotions of enjoyment, pride, frustration, hopelessness and anxiety about their work and school on job satisfaction. 307 school administrators working in public schools in Turkey participated in the research. In the research, causal comparative and correlational survey model, which are among the quantitative research methods, were used. The data of the study were collected using the "Principal Emotion Inventory" and "Job Satisfaction Scale". Descriptive and evident-based statistics techniques were used in the analysis of the data. As a result of the research, it was determined that the job satisfaction levels of the school principals were higher, as their levels of the pleasant emotions of enjoyment and pride, were higher than their unpleasant emotions of frustration, hopelessness and anxiety. While gender, work and level did not make a significant difference in the job satisfaction levels of school administrators, the pride levels of female school administrators were higher than that of male school administrators. In addition, principals' emotions of anxiety were determined more than vice principals. Suggestions have been developed for practitioners and other researchers considering the results and limitations of the research.