The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction and Social Network Characteristics of Elementary School Principals

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of social communication networks and to determine the levels of job satisfaction of public elementary school principals in Northeast Tennessee. Relationships between social communication network characteristics and job satisfaction were described. Information from the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ) and the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) was used to identify characteristics of social networks and levels of job satisfaction. Data was used to investigate relationships between social network characteristics and job satisfaction scores. Data gathered included principals' gender, age, school size, years of experience, education level, ethnicity, community setting, marital status, tenure as a principal, social network size, network composition, and levels of job satisfaction in the areas of present job, present pay, opportunity for promotion, supervision, people on the job, and the job in general. Fifty male and thirty-two female public elementary school principals were surveyed using the SSQ and the JDI. Average network size was reported as fifteen. Most network members were female, with male principals reporting slightly larger networks than female principals. Conclusions emphasize small network sizes composed primarily of family members. All respondents were married and reported themselves and their network members as Caucasian. Moderate to high levels of job satisfaction were reported among principals. Highest job satisfaction was reported in the areas of people on the job and the job in general. Lowest scores on the JDI were reported in the areas of opportunity for promotion and present pay. Relationships between social communication network characteristics and job satisfaction are reported as insignificant.