Toxic leadership, psychological capital and individual outcomes
Date
2020
Authors
Crozet, Kate
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Abstract
Many studies have investigated the effects of Toxic Leadership (TL) as a form of job
stress and have found TL to negatively impact on an employee’s wellbeing. The
negative effects of TL can manifest in physiological symptoms such as headaches,
increased blood pressure and insomnia, as well as in psychological symptoms such
as depression, anxiety, and lowered self-esteem. This study aimed to explore TL and
its effects on two individual outcomes: physiological wellbeing and psychological
wellbeing. Drawing on Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and
Coping and Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources Model, this study also aimed to
explore the buffering effect of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) on the relationships
between TL and physiological wellbeing and psychological wellbeing.
Participants accessed the survey online, and completed five questionnaires, namely;
a Self-Developed Demographic Questionnaire, Schmidt’s Toxic Leadership Scale, the
Psychological Capital Questionnaire, the Physical Health Questionnaire, and the
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. This resulted in a sample of 140 full-time
employees from various industries within South Africa.
Results of the study indicated that TL was significantly correlated with both
physiological wellbeing and psychological wellbeing, and simple regression analyses
revealed that TL led to poorer physiological wellbeing and psychological wellbeing.
These findings were supported by previous literature and empirical studies. While
PsyCap was found to have a positive effect on both physiological wellbeing and
psychological wellbeing, it did not have a moderating effect on the relationships
between TL and physiological wellbeing and psychological wellbeing. In addition to
these findings, limitations of this study, recommendations and direction for future
research on this topic and practical recommendations were discussed.
Description
A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Masters of Arts by Coursework and Research Report in the field of Organisational
Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand,
Johannesburg on 17 February 2020.