Exploring Paradox: Moderating and Mediating Mechanisms in the Effect of Abusive Supervision on Employees' Helping Behavior (Case Study: Public Hospitals in Yazd City)

Background: Typically, researchers believe that abusive supervision decreases employees' helping behavior. However, according to the emotional process theory of abusive supervision, subordinates show more helping behavior under certain conditions. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of abusive supervision on employees' helping behavior, with a focus on the mediating role of self-blame and guilt as well as the moderating effects of core self-evaluation (CSE) and power distance. Methods: The present study is applied in purpose and descriptive in method, classified as a semi-experimental study regarding its design. The statistical population comprised all administrative and medical staff working in public hospitals of Yazd. Sampling was conducted using a convenience sampling method, with the sample size determined through G-Power software. After removing outliers, 381 participants remained for analysis. Data were collected via a questionnaire, and after confirming its reliability and validity, hypotheses were tested using SPSS21 software and the PROCESS module. Results: The direct association between abusive supervision and employees’ helping behavior was significantly negative (-0/235). The mediation by self-blame and guilt was negative too. The relationship between abusive supervision and self-blame was positively correlated to CSE (0/224), while the association between self-blame and guilt was negatively correlated to power distance. Conclusion: In the context of abusive supervision and its aftermath, this study introduced self-blame and guilt as two mediators that can affect subordinates’ reactions to abusive supervision. Also, for the first time, CSE was tested as a moderator between abusive supervision and self-blame. Finally, in response to previous calls for research, the moderating role of subordinates’ power distance orientation in the relationship between self-blame and guilt was investigated.