{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]],"date-time":"2026-08-05T05:52:21Z","timestamp":1785909141525,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]],"date-time":"2026-08-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785888000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100022230","name":"Deanship of Scientific Research, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100022230","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Transformational leadership has been recognized as a critical factor influencing employee commitment in educational environments, but research exploring this connection within higher education in Saudi Arabia remains limited. The study aimed to assess the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational commitment among faculty members in academic leadership roles in the Colleges of Health Sciences in Saudi Arabia.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A mixed-methods cross-sectional design was employed, and quantitative data were collected from 155 faculty members in academic leadership roles using a total population approach. Transformational leadership was measured using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, while organizational commitment was assessed using Meyer and Allen's three-component model of organizational commitment. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, normality assessment, Pearson's correlation, and multiple linear regression. In addition, focus group discussions were conducted to explore participants' perceptions of leadership practices and their influence on organizational commitment within health sciences education settings.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Transformational leadership was perceived at a relatively high level, with inspirational motivation being the most prominent dimension. Inspirational motivation showed the strongest correlation with affective commitment (\n                      <jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.63,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt; 0.01). Regression analysis indicated that inspirational motivation and idealized influence significantly predicted affective commitment, whereas idealized influence was the primary predictor of normative and continuance commitment. Qualitative findings supported these results, highlighting the importance of visionary leadership, role modeling, recognition, and supportive leadership practices in strengthening organizational commitment.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The results suggest that transformational leadership is essential for fostering educators' emotional and normative commitment in health professions education. By promoting vision, mentorship, and appreciation, academic leaders can increase faculty engagement and loyalty to the institution. The research highlights the importance of leadership development programs as part of ongoing professional development strategies to sustain faculty motivation and enhance educational quality within health sciences institutions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1865356","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]],"date-time":"2026-08-05T05:39:31Z","timestamp":1785908371000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Assessing the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational commitment in health sciences colleges: a mixed-methods study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Zeinab A.","family":"Abusabeib","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community and Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, College of Nursing, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University","place":["Riyadh, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yosra A.","family":"Ali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Dentistry Department, National Ribat University","place":["Khartoum, Sudan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","article-title":"Northouse, PG","author":"Squires","year":"2016","journal-title":"Leadership: Theory and Practice"},{"key":"B2","volume-title":"Leadership: Research Findings, Practice, and Skills.","author":"Dubrin","year":"2015"},{"key":"B3","volume-title":"The Leadership Challenge: The Most Trusted Source on Becoming a Better Leader","author":"Kouzes","year":"2007"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4324\/9781410617095","volume-title":"Transformational Leadership.","author":"Bass","year":"2006"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1007\/s12564-013-9308-3","article-title":"Can transformational leadership influence on teachers' commitment towards organization, teaching profession, and students learning? A quantitative analysis","volume":"15","author":"Ibrahim","year":"2014","journal-title":"Asia Pacific Educ Rev."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"853","DOI":"10.19030\/jabr.v29i3.7785","article-title":"Examining Bass's transformational leadership in public sector executives: a psychometric properties review","volume":"29","author":"Hemsworth","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Appl Bus Res."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"192","DOI":"10.1108\/01409171211210118","article-title":"Transformational leadership and job-related learning","volume":"35","author":"Loon","year":"2012","journal-title":"Manag Res Rev."},{"key":"B8","volume-title":"The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Management Applications","author":"Bass","year":"2008"},{"key":"B9","volume-title":"Perilaku Organisasi, 9th Edn. (Biro Bahasa Alkemis, Trans.)","author":"Kreitner","year":"2014"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1016\/1053-4822(91)90011-Z","article-title":"A three-component conceptualization of organizational commitment","volume":"1","author":"Meyer","year":"1991","journal-title":"Hum Resour Manag Rev."},{"key":"B11","first-page":"51","article-title":"Transformational leadership and teacher commitment in secondary schools of Sarawak","volume":"2","author":"Ling","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int J Indep Res Stud."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"496","DOI":"10.1177\/0013161X08321501","article-title":"Linking leadership to student learning: the contributions of leader efficacy","volume":"44","author":"Leithwood","year":"2008","journal-title":"Educ Adm Q."},{"key":"B13","volume-title":"Organizational Behavioral","author":"Kreitner","year":"2014"},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"228","DOI":"10.1108\/09578230310474403","article-title":"Transformational leadership effects on teachers' commitment and effort toward school reform","volume":"41","author":"Geijsel","year":"2003","journal-title":"J Educ Adm."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"329","DOI":"10.1080\/0305764032000122005","article-title":"Leading educational change: reflections on the practice of instructional and transformational leadership","volume":"33","author":"Hallinger","year":"2003","journal-title":"Camb J Educ."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"531","DOI":"10.1111\/jonm.12578","article-title":"Leadership style and organisational commitment among nursing staff in Saudi Arabia","volume":"26","author":"Al-Yami","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Nurs Manag."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1476709","DOI":"10.3389\/feduc.2024.1476709","article-title":"Enhancing organizational commitment through shared leadership: insights from Saudi higher education","author":"Alghamdi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Educ."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"855","DOI":"10.5267\/j.msl.2019.10.011","article-title":"Exploring the influence of transformational leadership on work engagement and workplace spirituality of academic employees in the private higher education institutions in Malaysia","volume":"10","author":"Arokiasamy","year":"2020","journal-title":"Manag Sci Lett."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"21582440241242531","DOI":"10.1177\/21582440241242531","article-title":"The role of leadership styles in fostering organizational commitment among nurses","volume":"14","author":"Gavya","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sage Open."},{"key":"B20","volume-title":"Transformational Leadership: Industry, Military, and Education Impact","author":"Bass","year":"1998"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1016\/S1048-9843(01)00063-7","article-title":"The MLQ revisited: psychometric properties and recommendations","volume":"12","author":"Tejeda","year":"2001","journal-title":"Leadersh Q."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.4135\/9781529682663.n6","article-title":"Revisiting mixed methods research designs twenty years later","volume-title":"The SAGE Handbook of Mixed Methods Research Design.","author":"Creswell","year":"2023"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2134","DOI":"10.1111\/1475-6773.12117","article-title":"Achieving integration in mixed methods designs\u2014principles and practices","volume":"48","author":"Fetters","year":"2013","journal-title":"Health Serv Res."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"199","DOI":"10.1016\/1048-9843(95)90035-7","article-title":"Individual consideration viewed at multiple levels of analysis: a multi-level framework for examining the diffusion of transformational leadership","volume":"6","author":"Avolio","year":"1995","journal-title":"Leadersh Q."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"509","DOI":"10.1108\/JEA-01-2013-0014","article-title":"The relationship between transformational leadership, perceived leader effectiveness and teachers' job satisfaction","volume":"52","author":"Eliophotou","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Educ Adm."},{"key":"B26","volume-title":"Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire: Manual and Sampler Set.","author":"Avolio","year":"2004"},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"441","DOI":"10.1348\/096317999166789","article-title":"Re-examining the components of transformational and transactional leadership using the Multifactor Leadership","volume":"72","author":"Avolio","year":"1999","journal-title":"J Occup Organ Psychol."},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"554","DOI":"10.1370\/afm.1865","article-title":"Integrating quantitative and qualitative results in health science mixed methods research through joint displays","volume":"13","author":"Guetterman","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ann Family Med."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.2147\/JHL.S365526","article-title":"Leadership style, work engagement and organizational commitment among nurses in Saudi Arabian hospitals","author":"Al-Dossary","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Healthcare Leadersh."},{"key":"B30","first-page":"286","article-title":"A study of nurses' job satisfaction: the relationship to organizational commitment, perceived organizational support, transactional leadership, transformational leadership, and level of education","volume":"22","author":"Mahmoud","year":"2008","journal-title":"Eur J Sci Res."},{"key":"B31","author":"Kouzes","year":"2007","journal-title":"The Leadership Challenge, 4th"},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"388","DOI":"10.6007\/IJARBSS\/v6-i11\/2407","article-title":"The impact of transformational leadership and teacher commitment in Malaysian public schools","volume":"6","author":"Noraazian","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int J Acad Res Bus Soc Sci."},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1080\/15700760500244769","article-title":"A review of transformational school leadership research 1996\u20132005","volume":"4","author":"Leithwood","year":"2005","journal-title":"Leadersh Policy Sch."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Medicine"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1865356\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]],"date-time":"2026-08-05T05:39:34Z","timestamp":1785908374000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1865356\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]]},"references-count":33,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmed.2026.1865356"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1865356","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-858X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-858X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]]},"article-number":"1865356"}}