Abstract
We explore the role that self-esteem and job-related anxiety play in the emergence of dysfunctional (negative) relations in mentoring and its outcomes. A study with 189 proteges reported that functional vocational mentoring in a mentorship was negatively related to reports of dysfunction in vocational mentoring (DVM), however, this association became positive for individuals reporting low self-esteem. The relationship that DVM had with performance and career expectations was moderated by job-related anxiety -negative outcomes under high anxiety conditions and a positive outcome for performance under low anxiety. Thus, further work on the emergence and effects of dysfunction (negative) mentoring relations appears warranted.