Abstract

Leaders with high self-efficacy demonstrate greater persistence when facing adversity, implement organizational change more readily, and establish higher goals for themselves and their organizations. This qualitative study examines which components of principal preparation programs most strongly contribute to self-efficacy development among aspiring school leaders in Utah, specifically in instructional leadership and management for learning. Through semi-structured interviews with 19 recent graduates from three Utah universities, the research explores how program components influence candidates' confidence to lead schools effectively. Grounded in Bandura's self-efficacy theory, the findings reveal that while cohort-based models and faculty characteristics provide foundational support for overall efficacy development, and quality coursework drives instructional leadership confidence, clinical experiences remain insufficient for building management efficacy. The study also identifies spirituality as an unexpected dimension of self-efficacy development. These findings have significant implications for program design, suggesting that preparation programs could intentionally structure experiences that build not only competence but confidence across all leadership domains to ensure graduates are fully prepared for the complexity of the principalship.

Degree

EdD

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Educational Leadership and Foundations

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2026-04-06

Document Type

Dissertation

Keywords

principal preparation programs, self-efficacy, instructional leadership, educational leadership, school administration

Language

english

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