Abstract
Purpose of Study. The purpose of this study was to measure the overall level of hostility of California school superintendents in small, medium, and large school districts. The study also sought to determine if significant differences in hostility existed between superintendents of small, medium, and large school districts in Northern versus Southern California. Finally, type of hostility was assessed (cynicism, hostile attribution, hostile affect, aggressive responding, or social avoidance) among superintendents to determine if size of district or location of district result in significant differences. Methodology. A modified version of the Cook-Medley Ho Scale was mailed to 315 public school superintendents in large, medium, and small school districts in Northern and Southern California to assess levels of the various types of hostility. The data obtained from the 197 returned surveys were analyzed descriptively and with analyses of variance. Findings and Conclusions. The results indicate the average Ho Scores of California public school superintendents who participated in the study are less than the average scores of other groups of individuals for whom archival data are available. Superintendents in small school districts had significantly higher Cynicism scores (p $\\\\leq$.047) than their counterparts in medium-sized school districts, and higher, but not significantly so, than large district superintendents. Northern California public school superintendents, regardless of district size, had significantly higher Cynicism scores (p $\\\\leq$.032) than Southern California superintendents. Small school district superintendents had significantly higher Social Avoidance scores (p $\\\\leq$.002) than superintendents in either medium or large school districts. Northern California superintendents, regardless of district size, had significantly higher Socially Avoidance scores (p $\\\\leq$.017) than Southern California superintendents. Superintendents in the targeted populations have scores that indicate they are not at risk of coronary artery disease because of their level of hostility as measured by the Cook-Medley Ho Scale. Further research is recommended to determine the cause, and potential consequences, for superintendents in Northern California having higher Cynicism and Social Avoidance scores than superintendents in Southern California, and superintendents in small districts having higher Cynicism and Social Avoidance Scores than superintendents in the North.