Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that has gained increasing attention in recent years and can occur across various types of relationships (e.g., romantic, familial, political, and organizational). In such dynamics, one or more gaslighters attempt to maintain power and control, while the target gradually loses confidence in their own perception of reality and begins to doubt themselves. Although gaslighting has been extensively studied in the context of romantic relationships, research on its presence and impact within workplace settings remains limited.
This study aims to systematically examine the effects of gaslighting in organizational contexts, following the PRISMA-P guidelines. A comprehensive search was conducted using the formula: ("gaslighting" OR "manipulation") AND ("work" OR "workplace" OR "employee" OR "organization"). To identify studies from the last 10 years, 1,001 articles were retrieved from Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar. After an initial screening of titles for relevance, and subsequent application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 11 studies were ultimately reviewed. The findings indicate that workplace gaslighting is associated with a wide range of psychological outcomes (e.g., depression, well-being, aggression) and behavioral outcomes (e.g., engagement, turnover intention, motivation and performance).
This review is significant in that it provides the first systematic synthesis of employee outcomes associated with workplace gaslighting. As no comprehensive review has previously been identified, it is anticipated that this study will contribute to filling a critical gap in the literature.