Leadership Frames and School Resilience: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The capacity of schools to stay adaptable and operational during crises has made school resilience at the forefront of educational research and practice. This Systematic Literature Review (SLR), guided by the PRISMA 2020 framework, examined empirical studies published between 2020 and 2025 that explored how various leadership frames—including transformational, distributed, resilient, instructional, and positive leadership—contribute to building resilient educational institutions. A total of 1,200 studies were initially identified through major academic databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, twelve empirical studies met the eligibility requirements and were analyzed through qualitative thematic synthesis. The findings revealed that transformational and distributed leadership are the most dominant frames influencing school resilience, primarily by promoting collective teacher efficacy, shared decision-making, and trust. Resilient and positive leadership behaviors, such as empathy, adaptability, and open communication, were found to enhance teacher well-being and organizational stability. Key organizational factors that strengthen resilience include collaboration, participatory management, and professional learning communities. However, research gaps remain regarding longitudinal studies, cross-national comparisons, and the theoretical integration of frameworks such as Bolman and Deal’s four-frame model. Overall, the review concludes that effective leadership framing is central to sustaining resilient schools in a post-crisis educational landscape. It recommends leadership training programs that emphasize adaptability, collaboration, and emotional intelligence to ensure that schools can thrive in times of change and uncertainty.