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Abstract

This study sought to determine whether actual and perceived role conflict existed for chairpersons of departments of occupational therapy and physical therapy in Canadian universities. Review of the literature highlighted the controversy over the existence of such role conflict and the need for empirical analyses of the academic organization. Chairpersons were interviewed, and faculty members and deans were surveyed regarding their expectations for the chairperson's role. Content analysis, descriptive statistics, and nonparametric correlational techniques were the major methods of data analysis. Results are considered on the basis of both statistical and real-life significance. Although role conflict was found to exist, chairpersons did not appear to experience it subjectively to a great degree. Suggestions are offered for future research and for the reduction of role conflict for the academic chairperson.

Keywords

educational administration occupational therapy research role conflict research

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Role Conflict in Academic Chairpersons

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