ArticleBMC nursing2025
Exploring the connections between destructive leadership styles, occupational pressures, support systems, and professional burnout in nursing: a cross-sectional survey.
Article in BMC nursing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Cultural Differences in the Relationship Between Negative Leadership Behaviours and Nurses' Emotional Exhaustion: A Systematic Review.Journal of nursing management · 2026Pooled it
- Past, Present and Future: A Historical Analysis and Reflection of 100 Years of Nursing Leadership.Nursing inquiry · 2026Review
- The association of leadership with nurses' turnover intention: A two-wave cross-sectional study.International journal of nursing studies advances · 2026Article
- Presenteeism and Emotional Exhaustion as Mechanisms Linking Abusive Leadership to Non-Green Behavior in Hotel Enterprises: The Buffering Role of Co-Worker Support.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2026Article
- Assessing the Impact of Ambidextrous Leadership on Nurses' Presenteeism: A Latent Profile and Mediation Analysis Study.Journal of nursing management · 2026Article
- A cross-sectional network analysis of toxic leadership behaviors among nursing managers and anxiety-depression-stress among nurses: an exploratory study.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- The impact of challenge-hindrance research stress on burnout among healthcare workers: the moderating role of perceived organizational support.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
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Abstract
backgroundDestructive leadership in nursing can have detrimental effects on nurses' well-being, job performance, and patient care quality. However, there is a paucity of research examining the interplay between destructive leadership styles, occupational pressures, support systems, and professional burnout in nursing.
objectivesThis study aimed to assess the prevalence of destructive leadership styles in nursing, investigate their relationships with occupational pressures and burnout, and evaluate the moderating role of support systems.
methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 166 registered nurses from five public hospitals in Hail, Saudi Arabia. A stratified random sampling technique was employed to obtain a representative sample of nurses (435). Participants completed validated scales, namely: Destructive Leadership Questionnaire (DLQ), Nursing Stress Scale (NSS), Perceived Organizational Support Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, regression, and moderation analyses.
resultsA high prevalence of destructive leadership styles was reported, with abusive supervision (77.7%), tyrannical behavior (75.3%), and laissez-faire leadership (63.9%) being common. Destructive leadership was positively associated with occupational pressures (r = 0.40, p < 0.01) and burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion: r = 0.49; depersonalization: r = 0.37; p < 0.01), and negatively associated with personal accomplishment (r = -0.42, p < 0.01). Formal support systems moderated the relationship between destructive leadership and occupational pressures (β = -0.13, p < 0.05) and between occupational pressures and emotional exhaustion (β = -0.12, p < 0.05).
conclusionsDestructive leadership is prevalent in nursing and is associated with increased occupational pressures and burnout. Organizational support can mitigate the negative impact of destructive leadership. Healthcare organizations should prioritize leadership training, establish policies against destructive behaviors, and enhance support systems to promote nurse well-being. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
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