Introduction: It is often difficult for targets of workplace mistreatment to speak up, leading many to respond passively by ignoring, denying, or dismissing their experiences. Yet, speaking up is essential for receiving support and addressing this problem. While some researchers investigate the antecedents of workplace mistreatment responses, the lived experiences of those with disabilities remain absent from this literature - an omission that hinders identifying meaningful differences in experience.


Purpose: It is the goal of this study to learn more about responses to workplace mistreatment among employees with disabilities. Using weekly reports from individuals currently experiencing workplace mistreatment, we track participants' perceptions of speaking up (i.e., reporting, seeking social support, or confronting the perpetrator) in real time, identifying both contextual (e.g., workplace culture) and interpersonal (e.g., social network forces) barriers and facilitators. Quantitative data are also collected to investigate how prolonged silence versus voice affects participants' personal (e.g., anxiety) and job-related (e.g., work engagement) well-being.


Method: This mixed-methods, longitudinal diary design combines qualitative free response and quantitative survey data. Participants are recruited from Prolific, with the final sample expected to include approximately 120 individuals. Each week for six weeks, participants answer open-ended questions about mistreatment voice experiences from the previous seven days and complete quantitative measures assessing voice, personal well-being (e.g., anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms), and job-related well-being (e.g., organizational commitment, job engagement).


Results: Data collection is ongoing but is projected to be complete by November 2025.


Conclusion: This research will contribute empirically and theoretically to the workplace mistreatment and disability literatures by identifying barriers, facilitators, and well-being impacts of speaking up about workplace mistreatment, for those with disabilities. Findings can inform the design of mistreatment interventions, target supports, and training, as well as inform workplace policies tailored to better address the needs of this underserved community.