Harper, IrmaBigham, Gary2023-03-072023-03-072022-122022-12-01December 2https://hdl.handle.net/11310/5140Abstract Purpose: The principal and assistant principals (APs) roles are high-profile positions with high expectations from the community they serve. Increasingly placed under scrutiny, principals and APs are under extreme pressure. The purpose of this study is to explore how decision-making can affect an administrators’ stress level. Research Method: This study used a qualitative design. The phenomena this study addressed was to explore the decision-making process of principals and APs and the effect this process has on stress levels. Findings: Several themes emerged from these research questions. The first theme identified was communication. Principals and APs voiced the importance of continuous communication. Collaboration was another theme that surfaced throughout the research. It was an important theme that allowed for all stakeholders to be involved with the purpose of allowing/hearing their input. Problem-solving was the third theme that appeared during the second research question. Stress relief was the fourth theme identified in this study. Conclusion: Decision-making can result in conflict, and that conflict can create high levels of stress for the administrators. Principals and APs should have decision-making processes or systems in place to help minimize conflict. Accepting that conflict and stress are inevitable, no matter how structured the decision-making process is, it is important for school administrators to find ways to release their stress.application/pdfEnglishAssistant PrincipalsPrincipalsconflict, decision-making, stress, principalsThesis2023-03-07