Transformational leadership and work interference with family in Türkiye: The mediating role of teacher commitment and the moderating role of power distance

In this study, a moderated mediation model was tested, in which transformational leadership triggers teachers’ work interference with family, with teacher commitment as a mediator and power distance as a moderator. To this end, data collected from 698 teachers across 59 schools were analyzed using a Bayesian-estimated multilevel structural equation modeling approach. The results indicated that transformational leadership was not directly related to work interference with family; however, it had a positive indirect relationship through teacher commitment. Furthermore, under conditions of low power distance, both the direct and indirect relationships (via teacher commitment) between transformational leadership and work interference with family were found to be significant and positive. In conclusion, this study highlights that transformational leadership, through teacher commitment and in contexts of low power distance, may expose teachers to a higher risk of work interference with family, thereby introducing a new research agenda on transformational leadership. The study concludes by discussing important implications for policymakers, school principals, and researchers.