Development of Social Network Leadership Scale and Analysis of Teachers’ Social Network Leadership Perceptions in Terms of Various Variables

Abstract

This study develops a scale to assess school principals' social network leadership behaviors and examines these behaviors through various demographic variables based on teachers' perceptions. To achieve this, the research team designed a draft scale comprising 36 items with expert input and administered it to teachers in public schools in Mardin province during the 2023-2024 academic year. We categorized the data into three study groups. The first group's data (300 participants) underwent exploratory factor analysis, while the second group's data (201 participants) was subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. The third group, consisting of 352 participants, provided insights into school principals' social network leadership levels and their analysis across different variables. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a five-dimensional structure with 33 items named "Homophily," "Network Quality and Structural Gap," "Establishing the Structure," "Network Coverage," and "Social Capital." Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the model's fit and construct validity. Consequently, the scale was deemed valid and reliable for evaluating principals' social network leadership from teachers' perspectives. Teachers generally rated principals' social network leadership behaviors at a "moderately agree" level. Among the variables assessed—marital status, professional experience, educational status, career title, and job title—teachers' perceptions significantly differed only by job title. Given the positive impact of principals' social network leadership on social capital, the study recommends fostering social network awareness among school administrators aligned with institutional goals.