Longitudinal relationships between workplace bullying and psychological distress.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to examine reciprocal longitudinal associations between exposure to         workplace bullying and symptoms of psychological distress and to investigate how self-labeled victimization from         bullying explains the effects of bullying on health.


METHODS
Logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the         longitudinal relationships between workplace bullying and psychological distress in a representative cohort sample of         1775 Norwegian employees. The time-lag between baseline and follow-up was two years. Exposure to bullying behavior was         measured with the revised version of the Negative Acts Questionnaire. Perceived victimization from bullying was         measured by a single self-labeling question. Psychological distress was measured with the 25-item Hopkins Symptom         Checklist. All variables were measured at both baseline and follow-up.


RESULTS
After adjustment for psychological         distress at baseline, exposure to bullying behavior [odds ratio (OR) 1.68, 95% confidence interval (95% CI)         1.07-2.62) was found to predict subsequent psychological distress. This effect of bullying behaviors disappeared         when victimization from bullying (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.17-5.22) was entered into the regression. Both psychological         distress (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.64-3.80) and victimization (OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.42-4.81) at baseline were         associated with increased risks of being a target of bullying behaviors at follow-up. Psychological distress (OR 2.51,         95% CI 1.39-4.52) and bullying behaviors (OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.39-4.52) at follow-up were associated with         victimization.


CONCLUSIONS
The mutual relationship between bullying and psychological distress indicates a vicious         circle where bullying and distress reinforce their own negative effects. This highlights the importance of early         interventions to stop workplace bullying and provide treatment options to employees with psychological         distress.
Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. morten.nielsen@uib.no
Morten Birkeland
MB
Nielsen
Jørn
J
Hetland
Stig Berge
SB
Matthiesen
Ståle
S
Einarsen
D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015995:Prevalence; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*