Victims Of Workplace Bullying Research Articles

Bullying against Healthcare Professionals and Coping Strategies: A Scoping Review.

Violence against healthcare professionals is an event that further burdens the daily lives of those who try every day to care for and assist those who need it most. In an attempt to overcome these events, there are coping strategies that can be used to reduce the stress caused. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the phenomenon of violence against healthcare professionals and the relationship between the bullying suffered by these professionals and the coping strategies they developed to overcome these moments. To this end, a scoping review was conducted in which eight articles were selected for final analysis from a total of 276 articles found in three electronic databases (EBSCO, PubMed, and Web of Science). This review concludes that the most common workplace bullying behaviours include excessive workloads, humiliation and ridicule, impossible deadlines, and verbal attacks. Professionals reported negative impacts, such as helplessness, depression, stress, insomnia, and the desire to change jobs. Victims of workplace bullying often expressed their intention to leave their current job or even abandon the profession. Problem-focused coping strategies are the most used. The studies indicated that workplace bullying negatively affects professionals in physical and mental terms, as well as in terms of quality of life at work, requiring more research and adoption of preventive measures to identify and combat the problem.

Career Counselling Individuals Experiencing Workplace Bullying

Workplace bullying is a pervasive career issue that impacts not only the victim’s vocational well-being, but also the perpetrator, witnesses, and organization. Since many victims of workplace bullying leave their jobs, counselors should be aware of these issues in order to effectively support clients through their transitional difficulties. This article provides a conceptual overview of workplace bullying by exploring the causes and effects of bullying on victims, perpetrators, and the organization. Implications for counseling victims of workplace bullying are discussed using insights from social cognitive career theory and work adjustment theory.

Coping with Workplace Bullying: Strategies Employed by Nurses in the Healthcare Setting

Purpose. As regards nursing professionals, workplace bullying is characterized by a set of repeated and banalized negative behaviors carried out by the aggressors that have more power than victims. Such behaviors adversely affect both the victims and the healthcare institutions where the events occur. Upon repeated exposure to workplace bullying, the victims use coping strategies to modify their work environment and adapt to the aggressor, as they try to reduce the discomfort caused by the bullying behavior. The present work aims to describe the psychometric characteristics of the NAQ-R (Negative Act Questionnaire-Revised) and COPE (COPE Inventory) assessment instruments. In addition, it aims to assess the coping strategies employed by nurses who were victims of workplace bullying. Methods. This study is quantitative, descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional in nature. Data were collected through a digital survey which consisted of sociodemographic and professional components. The NAQ-R and COPE scales were used to evaluate these components. The study included a total of 2015 Portuguese nurses in the sample. Results. Talking to coworkers and confronting the aggressors were the main strategies adopted by nurses who experienced bullying behaviors at work. Also, based on the first and third evaluation criteria, nurses who faced workplace bullying presented a higher average value of “support seeking” and “substance use” and resorted more to “evasion” when compared to those who had not been bullied. Based on the second assessment criterion, nurses who endured workplace bullying resorted more to “evasion” and “substance use” and exhibited less “acceptance.” Conclusions. When confronted with workplace bullying, nurses predominantly chose negative coping strategies and, in their majority, nurses had not received training on that topic. In this regard, nurses’ training is considered important, so as to encourage the use of positive coping strategies that minimize the negative effects of the phenomenon.

Legal Remedies for Teachers as Victims of Workplace Bullying in South Africa

Workplace bullying is a serious issue among teachers in South Africa, with detrimental effects on their physical and mental health, job satisfaction, and overall wellbeing. This article examines the legal remedies available to teachers who are victims of workplace bullying. These remedies include delictual liability, vicarious liability, constitutional claims, dispute resolution mechanisms, constructive dismissal, criminal law, and civil law, each of which provides a different avenue for teachers to seek legal redress. These approaches include compensation for damages, protection of their constitutional rights, and criminal charges against the person(s) accused of bullying. However, barriers such as lack of legal literacy, fear of retaliation, and cost and time constraints, may prevent teachers from accessing legal support. To address these barriers, teachers need adequate legal support and resources. This process includes legal aid services and training programmes on constitutional rights and procedures. This study utilizes a document analysis approach to examine relevant laws, policies, and case law related to workplace bullying. Future research could explore the effectiveness of different legal remedies in addressing workplace bullying among teachers. It could also explore both the facilitators of legal support and the barriers to accessing such assistance. Policy development could focus on strengthening legislative protection for teachers and victims of workplace bullying. This practice could include the development of specific legislation or regulations that address workplace bullying and provide clear guidelines for instigating legal action. This study found that the legal resources available to teachers who are victims of workplace bullying in South Africa offer different avenues for seeking legitimate redress. As indicated above, these processes include compensation for damages, protection of constitutional rights, and criminal charges against the perpetrator(s) of intimidation. However, obstacles preventing teachers from accessing legal support include a lack of legal literacy, fear of retaliation, and cost and time constraints. Overall, this article contributes to a better understanding of the legal framework surrounding workplace bullying in South Africa. It provides insights into the ways in which legal remedies can be utilized to protect teachers' rights and prevent workplace bullying.

Workplace Bullying in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

The specific aims of the study are to explore the prevalence of workplace bullying and to understand the impact of bullying on individual wellness in order to facilitate the development of future organizational solutions to mitigate workplace incivility. Cross-sectional data were collected via a web-based survey to gather exploratory demographic information and to assess the relationships between intensity of the exposure to the negative acts with laboratory productivity. Associations between laboratories offering resources to employees and their impacts on productivity and professional job fulfillment were also explored. Results of the survey showed that over two-thirds of laboratorians (68.56%) were classified as victims of workplace bullying, and the perpetrator is most likely a peer of the victim (55.3%). The study revealed the intensity of workplace incivility was positively correlated with the number of sick days taken by the laboratory practitioner (F(2, 217) = 24.245, P < .001). Facilities with a supportive work environment were also associated with a reduction in the number of sick mental days taken (P < .001), a proxy for improved work and health outcomes. The results of this study shed light on the prevalence of incivility at the workplace and offer evidence on the importance of providing a supportive work environment toward reducing workplace bullying.

Are you threatening me? Development and validation of the Conflict Escalation Questionnaire.

This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument for measuring conflict escalation based on Glasl's conflict escalation model, which can also be used for measuring bullying conflicts. The instrument should be applicable both as a self-assessment and as an interviewer-assessment. In the first study, a first set of items measuring the stages of Glasl's model was developed and validated in an independent cross-sectional sample of 154 participants who completed the self-assessment. In 142 cases, interviews were conducted, and thus self and interviewer-assessments could be compared. In a second study, the final set of items was cross-validated on a second independent cross-sectional sample. In total, 105 participants completed the self-assessment only and 114 were part of the interview study. Because Glasl's model is complex, scale validation was based on a combination of classical statistical validation procedures. Both studies indicate good validity of the new instrument and provide evidence for Glasl's conflict escalation model. As expected, conflict escalation was positively related to negative affect, irritation, and depression. Relationship conflict was more prevalent in more highly escalated conflicts as compared to lower escalated conflicts. Victims of workplace bullying were classified in high escalation levels and showed higher inferiority in conflict situations compared to non-victims with highly escalated conflicts. The present instrument can be used to assess qualitative differences in conflict escalation and thus complements existing instruments to measure conflicts. It is especially useful for practitioners, as they can assess conflict escalation more accurately and thus better choose the appropriate form of intervention.

Workplace Bullying among Nurses in Singapore: A Quantitative Survey

The high prevalence rate of workplace bullying among nurses is alarming given the consequences for nurses and organizations. It is poorly understood in Asia due to limited studies. This study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional design using an electronic survey to examine the prevalence, antecedents, and consequences of workplace bullying among nurses in Singapore. Data collection took place between November 2021 and February 2022, with 152 nurses of different grades completing the electronic survey (response rate of 65%). Our survey showed that 42.8% of the nurses (n = 65) reported experiencing occasional workplace bullying or workplace incivility during the past six months, and 11.8% (n = 18) were identified as victims of workplace bullying during the past six months. Logistic regression identified three variables (working hours per week, personality, emotional stability, and work environment) that were significant predictors of workplace bullying. Workplace bullying significantly impacts nurses' job stress, job satisfaction, and turnover intention but does not affect their work productivity or absenteeism. The study demonstrates that workplace bullying will continue to persist and manifest differently in different countries. Workplace environment and hierarchy have a greater and more immediate impact on workplace bullying in Singapore than individual characteristics.

Healing the wounds of workplace bullying: Evaluating mental health and workplace participation among victims seeking treatment for common mental disorders.

Victims of workplace bullying represent a group characterised by severe negative health complaints at risk of losing their foothold in working life. To date, very few studies have investigated the effect of psychological treatment of the health-related problems often facing victims of bullying. The aim was to investigate if victims of workplace bullying suffering from common mental disorders (CMD) benefit from clinical treatment for their mental health problems at an outpatient clinic treating patients using Metacognitive or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with work-focus. Criteria were symptom reduction and change in workplace participation. Comparisons were made between the victims of workplace bullying with CMD, a wait-list control group consisting of patients who had also been exposed to bullying yet now awaiting treatment, and other patients not exposed to bullying. The sample comprised of 405 patients from an outpatient clinic in Norway. The study used a naturalistic observational design and data was collected pre-treatment and post-treatment. The results showed the treatment to be effective in symptom reduction for victims of bullying to a similar degree as patients otherwise not exposed to bullying. Even more, victims receiving treatment had a larger improvement compared to the wait-list control group (p < 0.001). Yet, among patients on sick leave pre-treatment, fewer victims of bullying were fully working by the end of treatment compared to the patients not exposed to workplace bullying. The findings provide ground for optimism for this treatment as an efficient way of dealing with the aftermath of workplace bullying.

The use of coaching as a tool to improve coping in victims of workplace bullying

This pilot study, based on Quiun’s (2017) theoretical model, aimed to improve the wellbeing of victims of workplace bullying through their coping strategies. Ouiun’s (2017) model highlights the importance of rumination in workplace bullying’s psychological effects as well as the negative role of thinking in its development. The program used the reflective nature of coaching and the benefits of autogenous meditation in stress management training to promote coping skills and to reduce activation levels. The participants were people who reported being targets of workplace bullying. They were assessed in the three factors of rumination (Brooding, Reflection and Negative Thinking) and wellbeing levels at pre- post- and three-month after the end of the study to identify change levels resulting from the program. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and the index for reliable change were employed to determine the statistical significance of the change, while Grounded Theory principles were used to explore qualitatively how coaching worked on promoting change. The quantitative analysis showed a significant change in negative thinking level (z=-1.98 p&lt;.048) between post-intervention and three months after the project. The qualitative analysis indicates how coaching improves coping skills, self-esteem and personal growth, with the alliance with the participants and autogenous meditation suggested as the key elements that facilitated this change.

Association of Workplace Bullying with Suicide Ideation and Attempt Among Chinese Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Nurses experience a high incidence of workplace bullying and are at a higher risk of suicide than the general population. However, there is no empirical evidence on how exposure to workplace bullying is associated with suicide ideation and attempts among nurses. Nurses were recruited from tertiary hospitals in Shandong Province, China, using stratified cluster sampling. Suicide ideation and attempts were assessed using two items, and the Workplace Psychologically Violent Behaviors Instrument was used to measure subtypes of workplace bullying. The prevalence of workplace bullying, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts was 30.6%, 16.8%, and 10.8%, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, victims of workplace bullying were at a high risk of suicide ideation and attempts. Among workplace bullying subtypes, individuals’ isolation from work and direct negative behaviors were predictors of both suicide ideation and attempts; attack on personality only predicted suicide attempts. The more bullying subtypes experienced by nurses, the greater their likelihood of suicide ideation and attempts. These findings suggested that workplace bullying was associated with an increased risk of suicide ideation and attempts in nurses, with both independent and cumulative risks. Interventions should focus on prevention and managing the effects of workplace bullying among nurses.

The Long-Term Effects of Workplace Bullying on Health, Wellbeing, and on the Professional and Personal Lives of Bully-victims

One of the aims of this study was to give a voice to the victims of workplace bullying (WPB). Narratives or stories told by the victims allow researchers to better understand, challenge, and update outdated thinking of WPB. This paper identifies gaps in the literature regarding the long-term consequences of WPB on workers’ health and wellbeing, and how this impacts their professional and personal lives. The findings of this paper are based on a qualitative study that documented individual experiences of six WPB victims. Analysis of the findings shows how deeply rooted the issue of WPB is, opens conversations, highlights possible causes, and redefines solutions. Reflecting on Aotearoa New Zealand’s laissez-faire attitude towards WPB as well as realising the need for anti-bullying strategies, clearer guidelines, and the promotion of interventions to support employees, this study raises the awareness of the long-term consequences of WPB and its impact on victims and society.

When do poor health increase the risk of subsequent workplace bullying? The dangers of low or absent leadership support

ABSTRACT Studies have shown that mental health problems may lead to workplace bullying, a so-called reversed effect. The current study investigated if this effect can be found also for poor health in general. When the reverse effect occurs is unclear. Supervisor support has been shown to moderate different antecedents and consequences associated with bullying. It was hypothesized that poor health would be a risk factor for bullying and that a supportive leadership style would moderate this risk. Using a two-wave design with 958 participants, logistic regression was used to test the association between health and workplace bullying. A moderation analysis tested supportive leadership style as a moderator. The study resulted in two novel findings: (a) a supportive leadership style has a strong mitigating effect on bullying behaviours, both directly and as a buffer; (b) poor health in general, including poor physical health, about doubles the risk of becoming a victim of workplace bullying. Together, these two findings make a boundary condition for the reverse effect clearer. The reversed effect only seems to be present when the level of leadership support is low or absent.

Exposure to negative acts at work and self-labelling as a victim of workplace bullying: The role of prior victimization from bullying

The present study examines employees’ prior victimization from bullying in school or at work as a predictor of 1) their current exposure to negative social acts at work and 2) the likelihood of labelling as a victim of workplace bullying, and 3) whether the link between exposure to negative acts at work and the perception of being bullied is stronger among those who have been bullied in the past. We tested our hypotheses using a probability sample of the Norwegian working population in a prospective design with a 5-year time lag (N = 1228). As hypothesized, prior victimization positively predicted subsequent exposure to negative acts, which in turn was related to a higher likelihood of developing a perception of being a victim of workplace bullying. However, contrary to our expectations, prior victimization from bullying did not affect the relationship between current exposure to negative acts at work and the likelihood of self-labelling as a victim. Taken together, the results suggest that employees’ prior victimization is a risk factor for future victimization, yet overall plays a rather modest role in understanding current exposure to negative acts and self-labelled victimization from bullying at work.

Workplace bullying among Nigerian artisans in building and construction industry.

Bullying is a growing problem in the workplace. This study investigated the bullying experience of building and construction industry artisans.We employed a cross-sectional analytic design to study 240 artisans in respect of workplace bullying (WPB) experience using a self-report questionnaire. Percentage, mean and standard deviation were used for data analysis and interpretation.According to the study, a significant percentage (96.1%) of the artisans perceived themselves as victims of WPB within the past 6 months and these experiences also occurred once or more times weekly.WPB is a considerable problem among building and construction industry artisans in Nigeria. Further studies that can influence the construction industry to create valuable programs to minimize bullying among artisans are required.

WORKPLACE BULLYING AMONG NURSES IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTERS IN PORT SAID

Background: Workplace bullying is common problem that threatens nursing profession, nurse's health and ability to work safely. Aim: to assess workplace bullying among nurses in primary health care centers in Port Said governorate.Setting: Study was conducted in seven primary health care centers representing districts of Port Said governorate.Sample: composed of 61 staff nurses working at health clinics in the randomly selected primary health care centers. Tools of data collection: Data were obtained through Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R).Results: Majority of staff nurses (86.9%) had secondary nursing education and 82% were married. More than half of the studied nurses (54.1%) were victims of workplace bullying, two third of nurses (60.6%) had bullied by patients and patient relatives and more than one third (33.3%) bullied by supervisor and manager. Conclusion: It was concluded from this study, more than half of nurses were victims of workplace bullying. There was no statistical significant relation between workplace bullying and socio-demographic data.Recommendation: Counseling sessions about consequences of workplace bullying should be held on regular base in health care centers.

Experiential learning activity to ameliorate workplace bullying

This experiential learning exercise will help instructors develop an interactive lesson that provides training for future managers on how to identify, resolve, and eliminate bullying in the workplace. The exercise is broken into three components. First, the instructor will present an introduction to workplace bullying and the importance for managers. Second, the students will participate in activities to help identify workplace bullying, learn best practices for addressing bullying incidents, and explore how to prevent workplace bullying from occurring. Third, the class will conclude with a debriefing exercise. This exercise will train future managers about workplace bullying and allow them to become an effective resource for victims of workplace bullying.

A clinical study of musculoskeletal dysfunction in targets of workplace bullying

Background Workers exposed to bullying often report musculoskeletal symptoms. In this study we have clinically evaluated the prevalence and nature of musculoskeletal dysfunction among a group of workers exposed to bullying and studied the relationship between clinical findings and self-reported musculoskeletal and mental symptoms. Materials and methods In a cross-sectional study, 144 patients admitted to an outpatient clinic for victims of workplace bullying were assessed with the Global Physiotherapy Examination 52 (GPE-52), a standardised test battery examining posture, respiration, movement, muscle and skin. The patients filled in self-report questionnaires regarding musculoskeletal symptoms (MSI), anxiety and depression (The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (Impact of Events Scale revised version, IES-R). Results Patients victimised by bullying showed reduced flexibility, reduced ability to relax, restricted respiration and tense and painful muscles. The total GPE-52 sum-score and the main domains Movement and Muscle had significant correlations with most self-reported health variables, strongest between the subdomain Flexibility and HADS-D (r = 0.37) and HADS-A (r = 0.36). Conclusions Victims of bullying have clinically evident musculoskeletal dysfunctions that were further found to have a relationship with self-reported mental symptoms. Future health services for these patients should be multi-dimensional and include a bodily assessment by a physiotherapist and relevant treatment when needed.

Women and men, authors and victims of workplace bullying in Italy: a literature review.

«Women and men, authors and victims of workplace bullying in Italy: a literature review».Introduction:It is known in literature that women are frequently victims of murder, sexual assault and stalking. It is interesting to investigate the gender characterization when workplace bullying occurs.Objectives:To investigate the phenomenon of workplace bullying and to understand if there are any relevant data about the gender aspects of workplace bullying by reviewing the literature in Italy.Methods:Review of articles on a sample of Italian workers. The research question followed the P.E.C.O. model and the article selection is based on PRISMA statement. Fourteen research strings were applied on: Pubmed, Microsoft Academic e Science Direct. A total of 32 articles were selected.Results:There are few studies in which gender differences on workplace bullying and crimes related are analysed, in some cases it is considered in the research but not in the results section (n=6 articles). In the studies selected women are predominantly victims (n=10 articles), the aggressors instead are usually men (n=2 articles). The attacks suffered by women are frequently discriminations due to family management, children and gender related issues (n=6 articles). Men have the major consequences on mental health if compared to women (n=7 articles).Conclusions:Gender is relevant in the characterization of workplace bullying. There is a need for further investigation focusing on gender differences between perpetrators and victims of workplace bullying offences. A unique evaluation protocol is necessary for evaluating workplace bullying, the crimes linked to it and gender differences, to obtain a more accurate comparability of data.

What Legal Protections Do Victims of Bullies in the Workplace Have?

Workplace bullying has evolved into an insidious, pervasive workplace issue. However, very few investigations have utilized comprehensive research methods to gain an understanding of how victims of bullying fare when pursuing their rights in courts. The plaintiffs are not suing for bullying; they are suing because the bullying violated some other law, such as an antidiscrimination law or some form of constitutional protection. Using policy capturing of litigated federal court cases, we find that victims of workplace bullying prevailed in 15.6% (82 out of 524) of the cases. The most frequently identified reasons for filing a cause of action were retaliation, harassment, discrimination, civil rights, constitutional amendments, state laws, and unlawful termination. The plaintiff success rate is an above-average rate because other studies have found even lower success rates for plaintiffs suing under similar laws for reasons unrelated to bullying. The present study provides guidance for victims of workplace bullies and their attorneys who are considering pursuing their rights upon being bullied in the workplace.

Effects of workplace bullying on Chinese children\u2019s health, behaviours and school adjustment via parenting: study protocol for a longitudinal study

BackgroundBullying in the workplace is a serious public health issue. As a chronic work stress, workplace bullying places the victims’ physical and mental health at risk which, in extreme cases, may lead to suicidal ideation. The high prevalence rate of workplace bullying has been reported and documented globally. However, a major limitation of the existing literature is that studies essentially focus on the consequences of workplace bullying on victims, including the psychological, physiological and socioeconomic impacts, and on the factors causing workplace bullying, but research on the impact of workplace bullying on the victims’ families is lacking. It is however evident that the consequences of workplace bullying have a spillover effect on the victims’ family members. Since many victims have children and given that children are particularly vulnerable to a negative family environment, examining the impacts of the type of parental stress induced by workplace bullying on children’s health including physical and psychological health (depression and self-esteem), externalizing problem behaviors (aggression, lying, disrespect) and school adjustment (academic performance and school conduct) is urgently needed. The overall aim of this study is to examine how health, externalizing problem behaviors and school adjustment of children whose parents are victims of workplace bullying may be associated with the impact that workplace bullying has on parenting practices.MethodsIt is a longitudinal study. Quantitative data will be collected from multi-informants, including currently employed Chinese parents, their children aged between 6 and 12 years old, and their class teachers at two time points, separated by a 1-year interval. One primary school will be recruited from each district of Hong Kong including participants with different socioeconomic backgrounds. At least 837 dyads (parents and children) from 18 primary schools will join the study.DiscussionWorkplace bullying not only affects victims but can also be harmful to their families as it alters the victims temper in the family environment. Results will be informative for the government and corporations to make concerted efforts and find strategies to prevent workplace bullying and to heighten the awareness of the importance of promoting safe and respectful workplaces for workers.