Abusive Supervision in Advising Relationships: Investigating the Role of Social Support

Abstract

The present study examines the consequences of abusive supervision in an educational setting. The study contrasts the cross‐domain stress‐buffering hypothesis with the within‐domain stress exacerbation hypothesis in examining the moderating role of advisor and team member support on the relationship between abusive supervision and student outcomes in student–advisor relationships. Using a temporal research design, results provided support for both hypotheses. In support of the stress exacerbation hypothesis, in the presence of high advisor support, there was a significant positive relationship between abusive supervision and anxiety, and a significant negative association between abusive supervision and psychological well‐being. Consistent with the stress‐buffering hypothesis, in the presence of high team member support, there was a negligible association between abusive supervision and satisfaction and anxiety.