The Influence of Interpersonal Communication, Achievement Motivation, and Leadership Style on Job Satisfaction of Special Needs School Teachers at the Regional Education Office Branch I, North Sumatra Provincial Education Office in 2025

Mardi Panjaitan; Damri Damri; Marlina Marlina; Ahmad Fauzan

doi:10.17977/um005v10i12026p202-209

Authors

Mardi Panjaitan Universitas Negeri Padang
Damri Damri Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia
Marlina Marlina Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia
Ahmad Fauzan Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17977/um005v10i12026p202-209

Keywords:

Interpersonal communication, achievement motivation, leadership style, Interpersonal communication, achievement motivation, leadership style, job satisfaction, special needs teachers, special needs teachers

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the influence of interpersonal communication, achievement motivation, and leadership style on the job satisfaction of Special Needs School (SLB) teachers at the Regional Education Office Branch I, North Sumatra Provincial Education Office in 2025. The background of the study is based on the importance of the quality of interpersonal relationships, achievement motivation, and principal leadership in building a supportive work environment, especially in the context of special education which has higher emotional and professional demands. This study uses a quantitative approach with a survey method, involving 180 SLB teachers as respondents. Data analysis was carried out through descriptive statistics, correlation tests, and multiple linear regression. The results showed that the three independent variables—interpersonal communication, achievement motivation, and leadership style—were in the good category, while teacher job satisfaction was in the high category. Regression analysis showed that interpersonal communication had the most dominant influence on job satisfaction (β = 0.35, p < 0.001), followed by achievement motivation (β = 0.30, p < 0.01), and leadership style (β = 0.25, p < 0.05). Simultaneously, the three variables explained 62% of the variance in teacher job satisfaction (R² = 0.62). This finding confirms that the quality of interpersonal interactions, teachers' internal motivation to achieve, and a supportive and participatory leadership style are the primary determinants of job satisfaction among special needs teachers. This research has important implications for the development of special education policies, particularly regarding improving principal leadership competencies, strengthening a collaborative communication culture, and facilitating teacher professional development. Systematic efforts to optimize these three aspects are believed to be able to improve teacher job satisfaction and the quality of educational services for students with special needs.

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