Comparing the Nexus: Exploring the Relationship Between Neuroticism and Educational Leadership in Democratic vs. Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan.

Abstract

This comparative, repeated cross-sectional quantitative study examined the relationship between six aspects of neuroticism i.e., Anxiety, Depression, Self-Consciousness, Impulsiveness, Vulnerability, Hostility and three educational leadership styles i.e., Transformational Educational style, Transactional Educational leadership style, and Laissez-Faire educational leadership style among 200 educational leaders in Afghanistan, with 100 educational leader were surveyed during the Democratic era in year 2020 and 100 during the Taliban era in the year 2025. Data were collected through in-person surveys at schools, colleges, and educational institutions, following Afghan Government SoPs and informed consent procedures. The results showed statistically significantly higher neuroticism scores across all six Aspects during the Taliban era, signifying heightened psychological distress, insecurity, and emotional instability among educational leaders. In contrast, transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles were significantly more prevalent during the Democratic era. Correlation and regression analyses confirmed strong negative associations between neuroticism and transformational leadership, with depression emerging as the strongest predictor. Transactional and laissez-faire leadership styles also showed slight negative relationships with neuroticism, suggesting that under extreme stress, leaders struggled to maintain even structured or passive leadership approaches. Overall, the findings highlight a profound psychological and leadership shift under Taliban governance, where elevated neuroticism undermined leaders’ ability to inspire, organize, or delegate effectively. The study underlines the importance of political stability and psychological well-being in sustaining effective educational leadership.