Psychology Ph.D. Dissertations

Abusive Supervision as a Predictor of Deviance and Health Outcomes: The Exacerbating Role of Narcissism and Social Support

Date of Award

2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Department

Psychology/Industrial-Organizational

First Advisor

Steve Jex

Second Advisor

Michael Zickar (Committee Member)

Third Advisor

Robert Carels (Committee Member)

Fourth Advisor

Hokey Min (Committee Member)

Abstract

This study examined abusive supervision as a predictor of workplace deviance (organizational, interpersonal, and supervisor-directed) and employee health (depression and anxiety). Based on the threatened egotism hypothesis, I examined narcissism as a moderator of the relationship between abusive supervision and deviance. Based on the within-domain stress exacerbation hypothesis, I also examined supervisor support as a moderator of the relationship between abusive supervision and health. Data from 199 employees in HR/Organizational Psychology-related occupations supported the main effect hypotheses between abusive supervision and interpersonal deviance, supervisor-directed deviance, and depression. Narcissism moderated the relationship between abusive supervision and organizational deviance, while supervisor support moderated the relationship between abusive supervision and anxiety. Moreover, I conducted additional analyses in order to more fully investigate the relationships among the main study variables. I discuss the study's implications for future research and practice.

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