A Comparison of Psychological Safety and Occupational Perfectionism Among Principals and Teachers in Lower and Upper Secondary Schools in Qorveh County

Abstract

The present study aimed to compare psychological safety and occupational perfectionism among school principals and teachers in lower and upper secondary schools in Qorveh County. The study was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive and causal-comparative in terms of research design. The statistical population consisted of all principals and teachers working in lower and upper secondary schools in Qorveh County during the 2025–2026 academic year. A sample of 80 participants, including 40 principals and 40 teachers, was selected using stratified sampling with equal allocation. Data were collected using Edmondson’s Psychological Safety Scale and Zolotareva’s Occupational Perfectionism Scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Shapiro–Wilk test, Levene’s test, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and the independent-samples t-test. The findings showed no statistically significant difference between principals and teachers in psychological safety; however, the two groups differed significantly in occupational perfectionism, with teachers reporting higher levels of occupational perfectionism. Analysis of the dimensions of perfectionism indicated that the primary difference between the two groups was observed in negative perfectionism, whereas no statistically significant difference was found in positive perfectionism. The findings suggest that although occupational position alone does not appear to substantially differentiate psychological safety, the conditions and demands associated with the teaching role may be related to a greater tendency toward negative perfectionism. Therefore, attention to the quality of professional relationships, reduction of performance-related pressures, and development of a supportive work environment may contribute to improving the psychological well-being and professional functioning of school personnel.