Term of Award

Summer 1998

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Administration

Document Type and Release Option

Dissertation (open access)

Department

Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development

Committee Chair

Michael D. Richardson

Committee Member 1

Randal Carlson

Committee Member 2

Patricia Lindauer

Committee Member 3

Catherine A. Hansman

Committee Member 4

Bella J. May

Abstract

The need for examination of leadership and job satisfaction in physical therapy clinical education created the following research problem: is there a relationship between leadership attitudes, age, race, sex, entry level degree, highest educational degree, cumulative years of patient care and clinical teaching, cumulative years as an Academic or Center Coordinator, cumulative years of clinical practice, and job satisfaction for the Academic and Center Coordinators of Clinical Education? The Leadership Opinion Questionnaire, Index of Job Satisfaction, and demographic data sheets were mailed to the Academic Coordinators of Clinical Education at all accredited physical therapy academic programs in the United States, as well as a random sample of 700 Center Coordinators of Clinical Education. Responses were received from 104 Academic Coordinators and 263 Center Coordinators. Simultaneous multiple regression analysis was performed to analyze the results.

For Academic Coordinators, the combined variables of leadership attitudes, race, sex, entry level degree, highest educational degree, cumulative years of patient care and clinical teaching, and cumulative years as an Academic Coordinator accounted for ISC of the variability in job satisfaction. Cumulative years of patient care and clinical teaching, entry-level master's degree, and entry-level certificate education all made significant independent contributions to the explanation of job satisfaction. Higher levels of job satisfaction were seen with more years of patient care and clinical teaching. However, entry level education at either the master's degree or certificate level was correlated with lower job satisfaction.

For Center Coordinators, the combined variables of leadership attitudes, race, sex, entry level degree, highest educational degree, cumulative years of patient care and clinical teaching, and cumulative years as a Center Coordinator accounted for only 5.6'V, of the variability in job satisfaction. The Leadership Opinion Questionnaire Consideration scores. Structure scores, and cumulative years of patient care and clinical teaching each made significant independent contributions to the explanation of job satisfaction; an increase in scores or years of care and teaching correlated with an increase in job satisfaction scores.

The study demonstrated that job satisfaction for Academic and Center Coordinators continues at a high level despite changes in the health care environment and increased pressures for clinical placements. Longevity of patient care and clinical teaching is a predictor of job satisfaction for both positions; Leadership Opinion Questionnaire scores are a predictor of job satisfaction for Center Coordinators. The negative correlation between entry level education at the master's degree or certificate level and job satisfaction for Academic Coordinators may be related to the role expectations of the academic environment.

OCLC Number

1029556230

Copyright

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