Interpersonal psychological needs as mediators linking abusive supervision and concurrent suicidal ideation: mediation analysis using parallel-process latent growth models based on a diary study

Given the frequent suicides among graduate students resulting from strained student-teacher relationships, we delved into the concurrent influence of abusive supervision on suicidal ideation among graduate students. Furthermore, we examined the potential mediating roles of the evolving trajectories of interpersonal psychological needs (thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness) in this complex relationship.

A diary study was conducted, involving 105 graduate students who had reported experiencing abusive supervision. Participants completed self-report surveys at twelve time points, assessing perceptions of daily abusive supervision, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, as well as the presence of suicidal ideation. The study yielded 1,074 valid responses for analysis.

Employing a parallel-process latent growth model, we found that suicidal ideation exhibited parallel development with with abusive supervision, in both initial level (β = 0.714, p < 0.001) and growth rate (β = 0.618, p < 0.001). To investigate the underlying mechanisms, the latent growth curve mediation models were adopted to examine the potential mediating roles of interpersonal psychological needs. Specifically, initial levels of thwarted belongingness (β = 0.240, p < 0.001) and perceived burdensomeness (β = 0.362, p < 0.001) mediated the relationship between the initial levels of abusive supervision and suicidal ideation. However, only the growth rate of perceived burdensomeness showed marginal mediation (β = 0.027, p = 0.069) in the relationship between the growth rates abusive supervision and suicidal ideation.

Daily abusive supervision significantly predicts concurrent suicidal ideation and this association is mediated by perceived burdensomeness. These findings highlight the importance of both fostering positive and supportive supervisory relationships, and addressing unmet interpersonal psychological needs to prevent and mitigate the adverse mental health consequences of abusive supervision.