Workplace bullying and depressive symptoms among employees in Germany: prospective associations regarding severity and the role of the perpetrator

Lange, Sara; Burr, Hermann; Rose, Uwe; Conway, Paul Maurice

doi:10.1007/s00420-019-01492-7

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…On the contrary, the risk of workplace bullying is decreased when employees experienced higher levels of influence at work and quality of leadership. These findings, which strengthen the conclusions of previous studies [15], suggest that increased efforts to improve the psychosocial work environment are needed in contemporary workplaces as a crucial means for reducing the incidence of mental health outcomes-especially depression-which are established outcomes of exposure to workplace bullying [1][2][3]5,9,52]. This is imperative in light of previous studies showing the detrimental consequences of depression for employees' workability [53], companies [54], and the social security system [55].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Antecedents of Workplace Bullying among Employees in Germany: Five-Year Lagged Effects of Job Demands and Job Resources

Conway

Burr

Rose

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Objectives: The aim of the present study was to examine the long-term association of job demands and job resources with self-reported exposure to workplace bullying in a representative sample of employees in Germany. Methods: We analysed a nation-wide representative cohort of employees working in the same workplace with a 5-year follow-up (S-MGA; N = 1637). The study contained self-reported measures of psychosocial working conditions, including work pace, amount of work, influence at work, role clarity and quality of leadership, and workplace bullying, and of organisational factors, including organisational restructuring and layoffs. Results: After controlling for bullying and occupational level at baseline, higher baseline levels of organisational restructuring (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.10–2.70), work pace (1.30; 95% CI 1.01–1.66), and amount of work (1.55; 95% CI 1.21–1.99), and lower baseline levels of influence at work (0.70; 95% CI 0.55–0.90) and quality of leadership (1.99; 0.64; 95% CI 0.50–0.82), were associated with an elevated risk of workplace bullying at follow-up. In all, 90% of cases of self-reported workplace bullying could be attributed to these factors. Conclusions: The study suggests that employees reporting higher demands and lower resources, as well as organisational factors such as restructuring, are at a higher long-term risk of being targets of workplace bullying. Interventions aimed at preventing workplace bullying could benefit from a focus on psychosocial working conditions and organisational factors.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Antecedents of Workplace Bullying among Employees in Germany: Five-Year Lagged Effects of Job Demands and Job Resources

Conway

Burr

Rose

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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“…The response rate at baseline was 33%, with 4.511 interviews resulting from 13.590 sampled addresses. The second wave (SMGA-2) was conducted in 2017 and included 2640 participants (Lange et al 2019 ). The questionnaire was revised for the second wave to include questions on family care obligations, which were then included in analysis.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Appreciation and job control predict depressive symptoms: results from the Study on Mental Health at Work

Pohrt

Fodor

Burr

et al. 2021

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Objective Depressive symptoms are a leading cause of disability retirement and sick leave. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of depressive symptoms in German employees and its associations with factors from both the occupational and the non-occupational domain and gender. Methods In the second wave of the German Study of Mental Health at Work (SMGA), a representative sample of 2640 German employees (52% women) was studied. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the PHQ-9 questionnaire. Psychosocial occupational and non-occupational conditions were assessed with quantitative interviews. In this cross-sectional sample, the association of these factors with depressive symptoms was examined using logistic regression models. Results Factors from both the occupational and the non-occupational domain were associated with risk of depressive symptoms. Low appreciation from superior (ORmen 2.1 (95% CI 1.2–3.7); ORwomen 3.2 (95% CI 2.1–4.8)), low job control (ORmen 2.9 (95% CI 1.6–5.4); ORwomen 1.6 (95% CI 1.0–2.5)), and critical life events (ORmen 3.0 (95% CI 1.6–5.4); ORwomen 2.3 (95% CI 1.5–3.7)) had the strongest association with risk of depressive symptoms. The association with quantitative demands was stronger in caregivers than in non-caregivers. The results indicated possible differences in the associations of working conditions between men and women, and between family caregivers and non-caregivers. Conclusion Factors from both work and private life are associated with depressive symptoms, especially appreciation, job control, and critical life events. Gender differences, with respect to appreciation and influence at work, suggest a more gender sensitive approach to psychosocial occupational health research and interventions.

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“…Judged by the number of systematic literature reviews, bullying appear as the most frequently studied aspect of ASB at the workplace. Based on a number of longitudinal studies (Bonde et al 2016 ; Einarsen and Nielsen 2015 ; Figueiredo-Ferraz et al 2015 ; Finne et al 2011 ; Gullander et al 2014 ; Kivimaki et al 2003 ; Lange et al 2020 ; Loerbroks et al 2015 ; Nielsen et al 2020 ; Rugulies et al 2012 ), and systematic reviews of longitudinal studies (Theorell et al 2015 ; Verkuil et al 2015 ), it seem well documented that bullying at work increases the risk of mental distress. Longitudinal studies on the mental health consequences of sexual harassment, threats/acts of violence or workplace conflicts, however, are sparse (Hogh and Viitasara 2005 ; Lanctot and Guay 2014 ; McDonald 2012 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of adverse social behaviour at the workplace on subsequent mental distress: a 3-year prospective study of the general working population in Norway

Sterud

Hanvold

2020

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Objective We aimed to provide an integrated picture of the relationship between different facets of adverse social behaviour (ASB) at work and mental health problem. Methods Data were provided from a longitudinal nationwide study of the general population in Norway. Eligible respondents were in paid work during a reference week in 2013, or temporarily absent from such work, and was interviewed at 3-year follow-up (n = 3654, response at baseline/follow-up = 53.1%/71.8%). We investigated the prospective associations of self-reported exposure to ASBs, including threats/acts of violence, bullying, sexual harassment and workplace conflicts, with mental distress (the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist) at follow-up, by means of multiple logistic regression. Results In total, 6.6% (242 individuals) were classified with mental distress at follow-up. Work-related predictors were sexual harassment (OR = 1.64 07, 95% CI 1.03 − 2.61), bullying (OR = 2.07, 95% CI 1.19 − 3.60) and workplace conflicts (OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.07 − 2.13). An elevated, but non-statistically significant association was observed for threats/acts of violence. No significant interactions were found between ASB and mental distress score at baseline. Overall there were few indications of substantial confounding related to age, sex, education level or occupation. After adjusting for these factors, the overall population attributable risk of mental distress attributable to any exposure to ASB was 11.3% (95%CI 0.6–22.3). Conclusions We observed robust associations between exposure to three out of four types of ASB and risk of mental distress. Taken together, the results underscore that adverse social behaviour at the workplace may have a substantial impact on the level of mental distress in the general working population.

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Workplace bullying and depressive symptoms among employees in Germany: prospective associations regarding severity and the role of the perpetrator

Cited by 14 publications

References 35 publications

Antecedents of Workplace Bullying among Employees in Germany: Five-Year Lagged Effects of Job Demands and Job Resources

Antecedents of Workplace Bullying among Employees in Germany: Five-Year Lagged Effects of Job Demands and Job Resources

Appreciation and job control predict depressive symptoms: results from the Study on Mental Health at Work

Effects of adverse social behaviour at the workplace on subsequent mental distress: a 3-year prospective study of the general working population in Norway

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