March 3, 2026Open Access

Instructional leadership as a predictor of resilience and well-being in STEM learning: a systematic review

Key Points

Resilience and well-being in STEM education improve significantly with effective instructional leadership.
Teachers foster strong relationships and increased motivation through instructional leadership, enhancing student outcomes.
Systematic review encompassing 80 studies identifies critical links between leadership in STEM and student resilience.
Implications for improving teacher training and inclusive curriculum design are crucial for future educational practices.

Abstract

Background Instructional leadership (IL) is critical for fostering resilience and well-being in STEM education, yet its impact remains underexplored. This systematic review synthesizes evidence on how IL predicts resilience and well-being in STEM learning. Methods Following PRISMA guidelines, we analyzed 80 peer-reviewed studies (2014–2024) from Clarivate, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ERIH Plus, using keywords like „instructional leadership” and „STEM education.” Results IL indirectly enhances resilience through strong teacher-student relationships and supports well-being by boosting motivation in STEM. Success in STEM subjects fosters school resilience, while cognitive conflict in STEM learning contributes to adaptive strategies. Conclusion IL is a key predictor of STEM learning outcomes, with implications for teacher training and inclusive STEM curricula. Future research should explore contextual factors mediating these relationships.

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Cite This Study

Dogaru et al. (Fri,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69a76778badf0bb9e87e10ab https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1652584

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