Social workers and workplace bullying: perceptions, responses and implications.
OBJECTIVE
This non-experimental, cross-sectional study examined social workers' perceptions of bullying work relationships and their ability to construct effective coping responses to perceived workplace bullying.


METHODS
Quantitative data were gathered through the use of a mailed questionnaire, and qualitative data resulted from semi-structured individual interviews.


METHODS
The quantitative sample consisted of 111 social workers from the metropolitan, Washington, DC area, who were employed in organizations. Two self-identified targets of bullying participated in the interviews.


RESULTS
Nearly three of five social workers (58%) in the sample reported being the targets of demeaning, rude, and hostile workplace interactions more than once in the previous year. Targets were more likely to work in government agencies/military and mental health outpatient organizations (19% and 18% respectively). More than a third of targets (35%) held a direct service role (clinical/direct practice), whereas almost a third (29%) identified their role as administration or management.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings from this study suggest that workplace bullying may be a problem for social workers and that the social work profession may need to develop tools and guidelines to help practitioners identify, confront and extinguish these behaviors.
Center for Workforce Studies and Social Work Practice, National Association of Social Workers, 750 First Street, N.E., Suite 700, Washington, DC, USA. twhitaker@naswdc.org
Tracy
T
Whitaker
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004219:District of Columbia; D004291:Dominance-Subordination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015279:Organizational Culture; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057566:Self Report; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012938:Social Perception; D012947:Social Work; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*