The Intersection of Dark Triad Leadership and Organizational Commitment: Examining the Efficacy of Educational Intervention Among K–12 Central Office Peer Leaders

Abstract

The intersection of toxic leadership traits and workplace loyalty remains a critical area of study within educational administration. The purpose of this quantitative, quasiexperimental study was to examine whether a targeted educational intervention, an asynchronous online minicourse focused on the dark triad leadership traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy, influenced the organizational commitment of U.S. K–12 central office peer leaders. This study addressed a gap in the literature regarding proactive strategies for peer leaders, defined as coworkers in leadership positions who are not in supervisory roles over the toxic leaders. I employed a one-group pretest and posttest design to measure shifts in commitment levels. I collected data using the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, which was administered as both a pretest and a posttest surrounding a 15-minute educational course. The sample consisted of central office administrators recruited through convenience and snowball sampling. As a part of the research procedures, I conducted a screening process, a baseline commitment assessment, the intervention, and a follow-up assessment. A paired-samples t test indicated that organizational commitment scores did not show a statistically significant difference following the intervention, remaining stable across the period. Furthermore, a simple linear regression analysis revealed that years of professional experience did not significantly predict changes in commitment scores. The result of the study indicates that while brief educational interventions may increase awareness of toxic behaviors, organizational commitment is an enduring attitude that may require more intensive, longitudinal strategies to influence effectively