Novice principals coping strategies during the Covid-19 pandemic in Sweden
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7152307 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Susanne Sahlin (0000-0003-3481-1648, corresponding author), Monica Sjöstrand, Maria Styf (0000-0001-5631-2714), Sandra Lund (0000-0003-4209-0406) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 1358-1375 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Educational Management Administration & Leadership (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1741-1432 • E-ISSN: 1741-1440 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/17411432231208789 |
| OpenAlex | W4387895573 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 24 |
This study presents findings from a qualitative case study where principals ( n = 193), studying a national principal training programme, participated in a study exploring novice principals’ perceptions of how their leadership was impacted during the recent Covid-19 pandemic. A model classification of stressful situations related to coping strategies was used as the theoretical framework for the study and used in the content analysis with a deductive approach. In small groups, the principals used a specific conversation model and discussed their experiences of how their leadership had been affected during the pandemic. The findings showed that principals identified a lack of clarity and situations linked to the adaption to new rules required over time when staff and student absenteeism were consistent challenges. The majority of situations that the principals described can be linked to unclear but affectable situations, where they had to make uncomfortable decisions but also provide security and solutions. Principals mainly used problem-oriented stress management strategies by searching for information, analysing and finding new solutions
Absenteeism · CLARITY · Content analysis · Crisis management · Educational leadership · Instructional leadership · Pandemic · Pedagogy · Perception · Political science · Qualitative research · Sociology · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Emotional Intelligence and Performance · Medicine · Psychology · Resilience and Mental Health · Social Psychology
Research Methods in Education
More than a feeling
The Association of Coping to Physical and Psychological Health Outcomes
School Leadership Burnout and Job-Related Stress
Coping
Unravelling the business of educational leaders in times of uncertainty
Leading through Covid-19
‘People miss people’
Timely change and timeless constants
In education we trust
Leading during a pandemic – what the evidence tells us
Support mechanisms utilised by educational leaders during Covid-19
Covid 19 – school leadership in disruptive times
The Politics of School Reopening During Covid-19
Navigating Policy and Local Context in Times of Crisis
Assessing coping strategies
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2025 (2) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |