# The mediating role of isolation and marginalization in the effect of trust in school principals on organizational commitment: physical education and sports teachers

## TL;DR

This study shows that when school principals are perceived as trusting, it reduces teachers' feelings of isolation and increases their commitment to the school.

## Contribution

The study identifies marginalization and isolation as key mediators linking perceived principal trust to organizational commitment among physical education teachers.

## Key findings

- Perceived principal trust is positively linked to organizational commitment.
- Higher perceived trust reduces marginalization and isolation among teachers.
- Marginalization and isolation significantly mediate the relationship between trust and commitment.

## Abstract

This study examines how teachers' perceptions of their principal's trust in them are associated with their organizational commitment, with a particular focus on the mediating role of marginalization and isolation.

Data were collected from 247 physical education and sports teachers using validated instruments measuring perceived principal trust, organizational commitment, and marginalization and isolation. Confirmatory factor analysis and bootstrap mediation analyses were conducted.

The findings revealed that perceived principal trust was positively associated with organizational commitment and negatively associated with marginalization and isolation. Higher levels of perceived trust corresponded with lower feelings of marginalization and isolation, which in turn were linked to more substantial organizational commitment. The indirect effect of marginalization and isolation was statistically significant, providing support for the mediation hypothesis.

Acknowledging the study's cross-sectional design, the results suggest that leadership practices aimed at enhancing teachers' perception of being trusted are crucial for mitigating feelings of marginalization and fostering organizational commitment. Practical implications involve promoting leadership behaviors that not only build trust but also actively and clearly signal it, thereby creating a more inclusive and supportive school environment where all teachers feel valued.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-025-03504-3.