Victimization from workplace bullying after a traumatic event: time-lagged relationships with symptoms of posttraumatic stress.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined relationships between victimization from bullying and symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTSS) after exposure to a terror attack at the workplace. It was hypothesized that (1) victims of bullying report higher and more stable levels of PTSS over time compared to their non-bullied colleagues and (2) that PTSS provides an increased risk of subsequent victimization from bullying.


METHODS
The hypotheses were tested in a two-wave prospective sample comprising 2337 employees from Norwegian governmental ministries who were exposed to the 2011 Oslo terror attack. The two waves of data collection were conducted 10 and 22 months after the terror attack.


RESULTS
Hypothesis 1 was partially supported: victims of bullying reported significantly higher levels of PTSS than non-bullied employees at both measurement points, but bullying was not related to the stability in PTSS over time. In support of hypothesis 2, PTSS at 10 months was significantly associated with an increased risk of feeling victimized by bullying 1 year later.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that victimization from bullying is associated with elevated levels of PTSS in the aftermath of a workplace terror attack, but that bullying does not have any impact on the long-term development of PTSS. PTSS may be a potential antecedent of bullying. These findings suggest that organizations must give high priority to the psychosocial work environment of traumatized employees to prevent further detrimental health consequences.
National Institute of Occupational Health, Pb 8149 Dep, 0033, Oslo, Norway. morten.nielsen@stami.no.|Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. morten.nielsen@stami.no.
Morten Birkeland
MB
Nielsen
Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, Norway.
Marianne Skogbrott
MS
Birkeland
Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, Norway.
Marianne Bang
MB
Hansen
National Institute of Occupational Health, Pb 8149 Dep, 0033, Oslo, Norway.
Stein
S
Knardahl
Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, Norway.|Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Trond
T
Heir
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D058445:Bullying / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D000073222:Patient Health Questionnaire; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D023481:Terrorism / Q000523:psychology*; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
Aggression; Longitudinal; PTSD; Polyvictimization; Trauma