A Systematic Review of the Factors and Components of School Principals’ Empowerment in Crisis Conditions

Mohammadreza Nasiri; Zahra Taleb; Amineh Ahmadi

Authors

Mohammadreza Nasiri Department of Educational Management, ST.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2690-9399
Zahra Taleb Department of Educational Management, ST.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3640-1936
Amineh Ahmadi Department of Educational Management, ST.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0691-0529

Keywords:

School Principals, Empowerment, Crisis Management, Educational Leadership, Psychological Resilience, Adaptive Leadership, Systematic Review

Abstract

This study aimed to systematically identify, synthesize, and classify the major factors and components contributing to the empowerment of school principals in crisis conditions. This study employed a systematic review design based on PRISMA 2020 principles. Persian- and English-language studies published from January 2000 to August 2026 were searched in Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar, SID, Magiran, Noormags, and Civilica. Keywords related to school principals, educational leadership, empowerment, crisis management, resilience, emergency preparedness, adaptive leadership, decision-making, and managerial competencies were combined using Boolean operators. After removing duplicates and screening titles, abstracts, and full texts according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 32 studies were retained for final synthesis. Data were extracted using a researcher-developed form and analyzed through qualitative content analysis and thematic synthesis involving coding, constant comparison, categorization, and development of higher-order themes. The synthesis identified eight overarching dimensions of school principal empowerment in crisis conditions: crisis knowledge and preparedness; decision-making and problem-solving competence; psychological and emotional resilience; crisis communication and stakeholder engagement; collaborative and distributed leadership; organizational and resource-management capacity; strategic and adaptive leadership; and digital, informational, and contextual capacity. Clear and timely communication was identified in 31 studies (96.88%), while rapid decision-making and adaptive leadership were each reported in 30 studies (93.75%). Decision-making under uncertainty, psychological flexibility, staff communication, and instructional continuity planning were each identified in 29 studies (90.63%). Stress tolerance, teamwork, prioritization of essential school functions, communication with students and parents, and access to timely information were each reported in 28 studies (87.50%). School principals’ empowerment in crisis conditions is a multidimensional construct requiring the integration of professional competence, psychological resilience, adaptive decision-making, communication, collaborative leadership, organizational capacity, technological competence, and institutional support; therefore, crisis-oriented principal development should address these dimensions simultaneously.

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