The relationship between Abusive Supervision and Well-being: The mediating role of Emotional Exhaustion and the moderating role of Core self-evaluations

This thesis examines the relationship between abusive supervision and employee well-being, focusing on the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and the moderating influence of core self-evaluations (CSEs). Guided by the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and Affective Events Theory (AET), two cross-sectional studies were conducted within the Egyptian higher education sector, comprising a combined sample of 1,299 academic staff members. Data were collected through online surveys, and structural equation modelling (SEM) was performed using the R software and the lavaan package to test the hypothesised relationships.The findings reveal that both direct and vicarious experiences of abusive supervision deplete employees’ psychological resources, reducing their job well-being. Emotional exhaustion was found to mediate this relationship, intensifying the strain caused by supervisory mistreatment. However, abusive supervision had no significant effect on life well-being, suggesting a potential compartmentalisation of stress by employees. Core self-evaluations, particularly self-efficacy, self-esteem, and locus of control, emerged as important psychological buffers, lessening the adverse effects of abusive supervision by enhancing resistance to emotional depletion.Theoretically, this research extends our understanding of AET by showing that vicarious abuse can trigger emotional exhaustion similar to direct abuse, highlighting the broader psychological impact of toxic leadership. Practically, this study highlights the need for organisations to support employees' psychological strength and to put clear policies in place to prevent abusive supervision. Future research may incorporate behavioural outcome measures to examine how cultural factors, such as power distance, influence employees’ responses to abusive supervision, given that behavioural reactions were not directly assessed in the current study.