Optimization bias in correctional leadership: A cognitive mechanism shaping administrator perceptions of officer wellbeing

Frontline-administrator misalignment in general evaluations of health can undermine efforts to improve correctional officer well-being. This study examined optimization bias in correctional leadership—administrators’ overestimation of officer well-being. Using paired surveys from (n = 308) officers and (n = 104) administrators, cross-role perceptions regarding relational access and well-being revealed disparities between both groups. For example, all administrators indicated staff could approach them when experiencing problems, whereas only 31.9% of officers felt the same. Administrators also rated staff physical health higher than officers. Additional discrepancies concerned health interventions, with administrators favoring communication-based programs, while officers emphasized structural conditions as conduits to improved well-being. Strategies to align these perceptual outcomes are proposed in light of these findings.