The effect of toxic leadership on workplace loneliness: A study on teachers

ABSTRACT This thesis examines the impact of toxic leadership on teachers' workplace loneliness. The primary aim of the study is to determine how managers exhibiting toxic leadership influence teachers' sense of loneliness in their work environment. In this context, the effects of toxic leadership on teachers' psychological and social experiences will be evaluated. The findings obtained will contribute to the development of recommendations for improving leadership structures and organizational culture in educational institutions. A quantitative research method has been adopted in this study, and survey data have been analyzed using the SPSS program. The research group consists of 400 teachers working at middle and high school levels across Turkey. As a result of data analysis, the presence and extent of the relationship between toxic leadership and workplace loneliness have been determined, and how this relationship is shaped by demographic factors (age, gender, professional experience) has been examined. This thesis details the destructive aspects of toxic leadership within educational institutions by investigating its effects on teachers' job satisfaction and commitment to their institutions. Since the direct relationship between toxic leadership and workplace loneliness has not been sufficiently explored in the existing literature, this study makes a significant contribution to the field. The findings of the research are expected to guide education administrators and policymakers in improving leadership practices in the education sector and in formulating policies to reduce workplace loneliness.