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Zahlquist L, Hetland J, Notelaers G, Rosander M, Einarsen SV. When the Going Gets Tough and the Environment Is Rough: The Role of Departmental Level Hostile Work Climate in the Relationships between Job Stressors and Workplace Bullying. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4464. [PMID: 36901473 PMCID: PMC10002256 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In line with the work environment hypothesis, the present study investigates whether department-level perceptions of hostile work climate moderate the relationship between psychosocial predictors of workplace bullying (i.e., role conflicts and workload) and exposure to bullying behaviours in the workplace. The data were collected among all employees in a Belgian university and constitutes of 1354 employees across 134 departments. As hypothesized, analyses showed positive main effects of role conflict and workload on exposure to bullying behaviours. In addition, the hypothesized strengthening effect of department-level hostile work climate on the relationship between individual-level job demands and individual exposure to bullying behaviours was significant for role conflict. Specifically, the positive relationship between role conflict and exposure to bullying behaviours was stronger among employees working in departments characterized by a pronounced hostile work climate. In contrast to our predictions, a positive relationship existed between workload and exposure to bullying behaviours, yet only among individuals in departments with low hostile work climate. These findings contribute to the bullying research field by showing that hostile work climate may strengthen the impact of role stress on bullying behaviours, most likely by posing as an additional distal stressor, which may fuel a bullying process. These findings have important theoretical as well as applied implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Zahlquist
- BI Norwegian Business School, Kong, Chr. Frederiks gate 5, 5006 Bergen, Norway
| | - Jørn Hetland
- BI Norwegian Business School, Kong, Chr. Frederiks gate 5, 5006 Bergen, Norway
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Christiesgate 12, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Guy Notelaers
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Christiesgate 12, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Michael Rosander
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ståle Valvatne Einarsen
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Christiesgate 12, 5020 Bergen, Norway
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Aarestad SH, Harris A, Hjemdal O, Gjengedal RGH, Osnes K, Sandin K, Reme SE, Hannisdal M, Einarsen SV. Healing the wounds of workplace bullying: Evaluating mental health and workplace participation among victims seeking treatment for common mental disorders. Work 2022; 73:1379-1391. [PMID: 36093665 PMCID: PMC9837681 DOI: 10.3233/wor-210920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND 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. OBJECTIVE 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. METHODS 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. RESULTS 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. CONCLUSION The findings provide ground for optimism for this treatment as an efficient way of dealing with the aftermath of workplace bullying.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Helene Aarestad
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway,Address for correspondence: Sarah Helene Aarestad, Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. E-mail:
| | - Anette Harris
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Odin Hjemdal
- Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway,Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Kåre Osnes
- Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kenneth Sandin
- Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Silje E. Reme
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marit Hannisdal
- Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Bjørndal MT, Giæver F, Aschim BM, Gjengedal RGH, Lending HD, Bull-Hansen B, Hannisdal M, Hjemdal O. Work after mental-health-related absence: a qualitative study of perceived change after a combination of metacognitive therapy and work-focused interventions. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:2231. [PMID: 36451160 PMCID: PMC9709362 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14378-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sick leave caused by common mental health disorders (CMD) is becoming more prevalent. For most people, work is essential for good mental and physical health. It is necessary to provide treatments that facilitate return to work (RTW) and a reduction of symptoms. A qualitative study can contribute to an understanding of what makes an intervention successful. The aim of this study was to investigate how individuals who are on sick leave because of CMD perceive and handle their symptoms and their work, after completing metacognitive therapy and work-focused interventions. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants after they had completed therapy. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. RESULTS Through both therapy and the process of RTW, the participants had gained increased awareness and understanding of their mental health problems and the relationship between those problems and work. Together with the sense that they were in charge of their own process of RTW, this helped to improve their self-confidence. An important part of the process was the change to new strategies and the rejection of older maladaptive ones, in relation to both mental health and work. Being open about their mental illness in the workplace could lead to support but also to the opposite, and therefore not an option for everyone. After treatment, most had returned to work and gained a more positive outlook on the future, but some had less confidence in their ability to deal with future symptoms and workplace issues. CONCLUSIONS Achieving improved self-confidence and adopting new strategies, which enabled them to change how they related to their mental problems and how they addressed their problems at work, seemed to have increased their self-efficacy. Active involvement in therapy and at work was also important, both for the process and as a way of increasing self-efficacy. This gave them renewed belief in themselves and in their ability to handle their work at present and in the future. Despite this being a manualized treatment, the participants' experience was that it was adapted to each individual, something they regarded as important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Tranberg Bjørndal
- grid.413684.c0000 0004 0512 8628Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Postboks 23 Vinderen, NO-0319 Oslo, Norway ,grid.5947.f0000 0001 1516 2393Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Fay Giæver
- grid.5947.f0000 0001 1516 2393Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bente Marianne Aschim
- grid.413684.c0000 0004 0512 8628Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Postboks 23 Vinderen, NO-0319 Oslo, Norway
| | - Ragne Gunnarsdatter Hole Gjengedal
- grid.413684.c0000 0004 0512 8628Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Postboks 23 Vinderen, NO-0319 Oslo, Norway ,grid.5947.f0000 0001 1516 2393Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Hilde Dallavara Lending
- grid.413684.c0000 0004 0512 8628Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Postboks 23 Vinderen, NO-0319 Oslo, Norway
| | - Bente Bull-Hansen
- grid.413684.c0000 0004 0512 8628Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Postboks 23 Vinderen, NO-0319 Oslo, Norway
| | - Marit Hannisdal
- grid.413684.c0000 0004 0512 8628Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Postboks 23 Vinderen, NO-0319 Oslo, Norway
| | - Odin Hjemdal
- grid.413684.c0000 0004 0512 8628Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Postboks 23 Vinderen, NO-0319 Oslo, Norway ,grid.5947.f0000 0001 1516 2393Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
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Aarestad SH, Harris A, Einarsen SV, Gjengedal RGH, Osnes K, Hannisdal M, Hjemdal O. Exposure to bullying behaviours, resilience, and return to work self-efficacy in patients on or at risk of sick leave. INDUSTRIAL HEALTH 2021; 59:180-192. [PMID: 33504717 PMCID: PMC8365868 DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.2020-0064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The study investigated relationships between exposure to bullying behaviours, return to work self-efficacy (RTW-SE) and resilience, and if resilience moderates the bullying-RTW-SE relationship among patients on sick leave or at risk of sick leave due to common mental disorders (CMD). A sample of 675 patients treated in an outpatient clinic was analysed using regressions and moderation analyses by employing SPSS and the Process macro SPSS supplement. The results showed a negative relationship between exposure to bullying behaviours and RTW-SE. There was also a positive main effect for resilience, as patients with high resilience score significantly higher on RTW-SE than patients with low resilience irrespective of levels of bullying. Further, the resilience sub-dimension personal resilience moderated the bullying-RTW-SE relationship, while the sub-dimension interpersonal resilience did not. Patients high on personal resilience showed relatively lower RTW-SE scores when exposed to bullying behaviours, compared to those that were not bullied with high personal resilience levels. Hence, one should take note of the fact that even if resilience may strengthen RTW-SE, bullying is an adverse event which particularly affects individuals who present with relatively high levels of resilience resources, at least when it comes to RTW-SE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anette Harris
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Norway
| | - Ståle V Einarsen
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | | | - Odin Hjemdal
- Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Norway
- Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
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Buhaug K, Magerøy N, Einarsen SV, Assmus J, Kvåle A. A clinical study of musculoskeletal dysfunction in targets of workplace bullying. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOTHERAPY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/21679169.2020.1865451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Buhaug
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Nils Magerøy
- Bjørgvin District Psychiatric Center, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Jörg Assmus
- Center for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Alice Kvåle
- Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
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