Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ASCO Annual Meeting 2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Keep up to date with all the top stories and latest evidence with our hub page, including official congress videos and expert takeaways.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 6/2013

Open Access 01-08-2013 | Original Article

The impact of bystanding to workplace bullying on symptoms of depression among women and men in industry in Sweden: an empirical and theoretical longitudinal study

Authors: R. Emdad, A. Alipour, J. Hagberg, I. B. Jensen

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 6/2013

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Prospective studies on bystanding to workplace bullying and the health outcomes are scarce.

Aim

To investigate the work environmental risk factors of depressive symptoms among bystanders to bullying in both women and men in four large industrial organizations in Sweden.

Method

The number of respondents at four large industrial enterprises with more than one year at the workplace at T1: n = 2,563 (Women: n = 342; Men: n = 2,227). Bystanders to bullying at T1: n = 305 (Women: n = 30; Men: n = 275). The total number of those with symptoms of depression at T2: Women: n = 30; Men: n = 161. Two thousand one hundred and seventy-seven employees answered the questionnaire on T1 and T2 with an 18-month interval. “To have depressive symptoms” was defined as not having depressive symptoms at T1 but having depressive symptoms at T2.

Results

The number of men who were bystanders to bullying was larger compared to women. However, the proportion of women who were bystanders to bullying and developed depressive symptoms 18 months later was higher in comparison with men (33.3 and 16.4 %, respectively). Further, “Being a bystander to bullying” 1.69 (1.13–2.53), “Rumors of changes in the workplace” 1.53 (1.10–2.14), “Reduced role clarity” 2.30 (1.21–4.32), “Lack of appreciation of being in the group” 1.76 (1.22–2.53) increased the risk of future symptoms of depression. “Job Strain” was not an adjusted risk factor for depression.

Conclusion

Our results support previous findings that bystanding to workplace bullying is related to future depressive symptoms.
Literature
Agudelo-Suarez A, Gil-Gonzalez D, Ronda-Perez E, Porthe V, Paramio-Perez G, Garcia AM, Gari A (2009) Discrimination, work and health in immigrant populations in Spain. Soc Sci Med 68(10):1866–1874CrossRef
Barling J (1996) The prediction, experience and consequences of workplace violence. In: VanderBos GR, Bulatoao EQ (eds) Violence on the job. American Psychological Association, Washington, pp 29–50
Beale D, Hoel H (2010) Workplace bullying, industrial relations and the challenge for management in Britain and Sweden. Eur J Ind Relat 16(2):101–118CrossRef
Bergstrom G, Bjorklund C, Fried I, Lisspers J, Nathell L, Hermansson U et al (2008) A comprehensive workplace intervention and its outcome with regard to lifestyle, health and sick leave: the AHA study. Work 31(2):167–180
Bhui K, Stansfeld S, McKenzie K, Karlsen S, Nazroo J, Weich S (2005) Racial/ethnic discrimination and common mental disorders among workers: findings from the EMPIRIC Study of Ethnic Minority Groups in the United Kingdom. Am J Public Health 95(3):496–501CrossRef
Blair RJ, Cipolotti L (2000) Impaired social response reversal. A case of “acquired sociopathy”. Brain 123(6):1122–1141CrossRef
Bremberg A (2006) The study on adolescent mental health Young people, stress and mental illness: analysis and proposals for action. Government Official Reports. SOU
Brousse G, Fontana L, Ouchchane L, Boisson C, Gerbaud L, Bourguet D, Chamoux A (2008) Psychopathological features of a patient population of targets of workplace bullying. Occup Med (Lond) 58(2):122–128CrossRef
Einarsen S (2000) Harassment and bullying at work: a review of the Scandinavian approach. Aggress Violent Behav 5(4):379–401CrossRef
Einarsen S, Matthiesen S, Skogstad A (1998) Bullying, burnout and well-being among assistant nurses. J Occup Health Saf Australia New Zealand 14(14):563–568
Emdad R (2012) Bullying in the workplace affects everybody. LevaPS, Personal Development and Psychology. Mars 2012
Emdad R, Söndergaard HP, Agartz I, Theorell T (2004) Cardiovascular reactivity in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Stress Trauma Crisis Int J 7:243–255CrossRef
Fonagy P, Bateman AW (2006) Mechanisms of change in mentalization-based treatment of BPD. J Clin Psychol 62(4):411–430CrossRef
Forman TA (2003) The social psychological costs of racial segmentation in the workplace: a study of African Americans’ well-being. J Health Soc Behav 44(3):332–352CrossRef
Fujishiro K, Heaney CA (2009) Justice at work, job stress, and employee health. Health Educ Behav 36(3):487–504CrossRef
Georgakopoulos A, Wilkin L, Kent B (2011) Workplace bullying: a complex problem in contemporary organizations. Int J Bus Soc Sci 2(3):1–20
Ghatavi K, Nicolson R, MacDonald C, Osher S, Levitt A (2002) Defining guilt in depression: a comparison of subjects with major depression, chronic medical illness and healthy controls. J Affect Disord 68:307–315CrossRef
Hackman J, Oldham R (1980) Work redesign: Addison-Wesley Publishing
Hammond WP, Gillen M, Yen IH (2010) Workplace discrimination and depressive symptoms: a study of multi-ethnic hospital employees. Race Soc Probl 2(1):19–30CrossRef
Jennifer D, Cowie H, Anaiadou K (2003) Perceptions and experience of workplace bullying in five different working populations. Aggress Behav 29:489–496CrossRef
Karasek RA (1979) Job demands, job decision latitude, and mental strain: implications for job redesign. Adm Sci Q 24:285–308CrossRef
Kivimaki M, Virtanen M, Vartia M, Elovainio M, Vahtera J, Keltikangas-Jarvinen L (2003) Workplace bullying and the risk of cardiovascular disease and depression. Occup Environ Med 60(10):779–783CrossRef
Lapido D, Wilkinson F (2002) “More Pressure, Less Protection” i Burchell B, Lapido D & Wilkinson F (red) Job Insecurity and Work Intensification. Routledge, London
Leymann H (1996) The content and development of mobbing at work. Eur J Work Org Psychol 5(2):165–184CrossRef
Lutgen-Sandvik P, McDermott V (2008) The constitution of employee- abusive organizations: a communication flows theory. Commun Theory 18(2):304–333CrossRef
Lutgen-Sandvik P, Sarah J, Tracy JK (2007) Burned by bullying in the American workplace: prevalence, perception, degree and impact. J Manage Stud 44(6):837–862CrossRef
Mays VM, Coleman LM, Jackson JS (1996) Perceived race-based discrimination, employment status, and job stress in a national sample of black women: implications for health outcomes. J Occup Health Psychol 1(3):319–329CrossRef
McDaid D, Curran C, Knapp M (2005) Promoting mental well-being in the workplace: a European policy perspective. Int Rev Psychiatry 17(5):365–373CrossRef
Mikkelsen EG, Einarsen S (2001) Bullying in Danish work-life: prevalence and health correlates. Eur J Work Org Psychol 10:393–413CrossRef
Nolfe G, Petrella C, Zontini G, Uttieri S (2010) Association between bullying at work and mental disorders: gender differences in the Italian people. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 45(11):1037–1041CrossRef
O’Moore ME, Seigne EA (1998) Victims of bullying at work in Ireland.”. J Occup Health Safe Australia New Zealand 14(6):568–574
Pearson CM, Porath CL (2005) On the nature, consequences, and remedies of workplace incivility: no time for “nice”? Think again. Acad Manag Exec 19:7–18
Podsakoff PM, MacKenzie SB, Lee J-Y, Podsakoff NP (2003) Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. J Appl Psychol 88:879–903CrossRef
Raver JL, Nishii LH (2010) Once, twice, or three times as harmful? Ethnic harassment, gender harassment, and generalized workplace harassment. J Appl Psychol 95(2):236–254CrossRef
Rayner C, Hoel H, Cooper C (1999) Workplace bullying: what we know, who is to blame, and what can we do? Taylor and Francis
Rayner C, Hoel H, Cooper CL (2002) Workplace bullying: What We Know, Who Is To Blame, and What Can We Do?. Taylor and Francis, London
Roberts RK, Swanson NG, Murphy LR (2004) Discrimination and occupational mental health. J Mental Health 13(2):129–142CrossRef
Skogstad A, Matthiesen SB, Einarsen S (2007) Organizational changes: a precursor of bullying at work? Int J Org Theory Behav 10(1):58–94
Spector PE (1986) Perceived control by employees: a meta-analysis of studies concerning autonomy and participation at work. Human Relat 39:1005–1016CrossRef
Takaki J, Taniguchi T, Fukuoka E, Fujii Y, Tsutsumi A, Nakajima K, Hirokawa K (2010) Workplace bullying could play important roles in the relationships between job strain and symptoms of depression and sleep disturbance. J Occup Health 52(6):367–374CrossRef
Theorell T, Tsutsumi A, Hallquist J, Reuterwall C, Hogstedt C, Fredlund P, Johnson JV (1998) Decision latitude, job strain, and myocardial infarction: a study of working men in Stockholm. The SHEEP Study Group. Stockholm Heart epidemiology Program. Am J Public Health 88(3):382–388CrossRef
van Barneveld K, Jowett R (2005) Violence, harassment, and bullying at work: how does the Australian rail industry compare and what can be done? J Public Transp 8(3):117–134
Vartia M (2001) Consequences of workplace bullying with respect to the well-being of its targets and the observers of bullying. Scand J Work Environ Health 27(1):63–69CrossRef
Vartia M (2003) Workplace bullying: a study on the work environment, wellbeing and health. University of Helsinki, Helsinki
Vingård E, Lindberg P, Josephson M, Voss M, Heijbel B, Alfredsson L, Stark S, Nygren A (2005) Long-term sick-listing among women in the public sector and its associations with age, social situation, lifestyle, and work factors: a three-year follow-up study. Scand J Public Health 33(5):370–375CrossRef
Widmark M, Oxenstierna H, Theorell T (2005) Vuxenmobbning och sjukskrivning. In: Marklund S, Bjurvald C, Hogstedt E, Palmer JD, Theorell T (eds) Den höga sjukfrånvaron: problem och lösningar. Arbetslivsinstitutet, Stockholm
Worrall L, Cooper C (1998) Quality of working life 1998 survey of managers’ changing experiences. Institute of Management, London
Yamada D (2000) The phenomenon of “workplace bullying” and the need for status-blind hostile work environment protection. Georget Law J 88(3):475–536
Zapf D, Einarsen SE (2005) Mobbing at work. Escalated conflicts in organizations. In: Fox S, Spector PE (eds) Counterproductive workplace behavior: investigations of actors and targets. American Psychological Association, Washington, pp 237–270CrossRef
Metadata
Title
The impact of bystanding to workplace bullying on symptoms of depression among women and men in industry in Sweden: an empirical and theoretical longitudinal study
Authors
R. Emdad
A. Alipour
J. Hagberg
I. B. Jensen
Publication date
01-08-2013
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 6/2013
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-012-0813-1

Other articles of this Issue 6/2013

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 6/2013 Go to the issue

Original Article

Perceived physical exertion during healthcare work and risk of chronic pain in different body regions: prospective cohort study

Original Article

The psychosocial work environment and mental health of teachers: a comparative study between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong

Letter to the Editor

Can observations of workplace bullying really make you depressed? A response to Emdad et al.

Original Article

Relation of child birth and breast-feeding burden with cadmium and tubular dysfunction marker levels in urine of adult women in non-polluted areas in Japan

Original Article

Micronuclei in lymphocytes from radon spa personnel in the Czech Republic

Original Article

Factorial validity of the effort–reward imbalance scale: evidence from multi-sample and three-wave follow-up studies