Psychopathological features of a patient population of targets of workplace bullying.
BACKGROUND
A strong association between workplace bullying and subsequent anxiety and depression, indicated by empirical research, suggests that bullying is an aetiological factor for mental health problems.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate levels of stress and anxiety-depression disorder developed by targets of workplace bullying together with outcome at 12 months and to characterize this population in terms of psychopathology and sociodemographic features.


METHODS
Forty-eight patients (36 women and 12 men) meeting Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror criteria for bullying were included in a prospective study. Evaluations were performed at first consultation and at 12 months using a standard clinical interview, a visual analogue scale of stress, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale, the Beech scale of stress in the workplace and a projective test (Picture-Frustration Study).


RESULTS
At first consultation, 81% of patients showed high levels of perceived stress at work and 83 and 52% presented with anxiety or depression, respectively. At 12 months, only 19% of working patients expressed a feeling of stress at work. There was a significant change in symptoms of anxiety while there was no change in symptoms of depression. Stress at work and depression influenced significatively capacity to go back to work. At 12-month assessments, workers showed a significantly better score on the HAD scale than non-workers. Over half the targets presented a neuroticism-related predominant personality trait.


CONCLUSIONS
Workplace bullying can have severe mental health repercussions, triggering serious and persistent underlying disorders.
Brousse
Georges
G
CHU Clermont Ferrand, Pôle Urgences, Clermont-Ferrand, F63001 France. gbrousse@chu-clermontferrand.fr
Fontana
Luc
L
Ouchchane
Lemlih
L
Boisson
Caroline
C
Gerbaud
Laurent
L
Bourguet
Delphine
D
Perrier
Annick
A
Schmitt
Audrey
A
Llorca
Pierre Michel
PM
Chamoux
Alain
A
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012919:Social Behavior; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology