Annalise Galea

Consequences of negative leadership behaviour in schools.

Abusive supervision refers to followers’ perceptions of the extent to which leaders engage in sustained display of non-verbal and hostile verbal behaviours. While extant literature has examined the determinants of abusive supervision and its consequences on victims, recent research has extended the study of abusive supervision to consider third parties who witness abusive supervision. The third-party perception of abusive supervision is independent of the subordinate’s perception of abusive supervision. Specifically, an act might be perceived as abusive by a third-party even if the subordinate does not perceive it as such. This study applies social exchange theory and the indirect reciprocity paradigm to an empirical study of the consequences of witnessing abusive supervision.

This study provides a better understanding of the outcomes and complexities of witnessing abusive supervision. The findings of this study will be particularly relevant to policymakers working in the educational setting, since attaining a comprehensive understanding of the consequences of abusive supervision will aid policymakers in addressing teacher discontent and dissatisfaction in schools and associated impacts including for employee retention. 

Supervisors: Professor Etlyn Kenny  Dr Daniel Wheatley