Workplace bullying and stress within the prison service

Datos Bibliográficos

ID12936799
AutoresGayle Brewer (0000-0003-0690-4548, University of Lancashire, autor de correspondencia), Emma Whiteside (HM Prison Service)
Año2012
Volumen4
Número2
Páginas76-85
Fecha de publicación2012-04-06
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1759-6599 • E-ISSN: 2042-8715
EditorialEmerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1108/17596591211208283
OpenAlexW1987433564
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas45

Purpose Consequences of workplace bullying include increased stress, poor physical and psychological health and low job satisfaction. Workplace bullying is particularly prevalent in professions that may involve a degree of aggression. Despite this, little information exists about the nature of workplace bullying in a prison context. The current study aims to investigate the presence of workplace bullying at one British prison. Design/methodology/approach Employees ( n =72) were invited to complete the Work Harassment Scale and the Work Stress Symptom Scale. Findings A standard multiple regression revealed that direct experience of bullying significantly predicted stress. Factor analyses identified four types of bullying experienced and three types of bullying witnessed by prison employees. Subsequent analyses revealed that experiencing one specific bullying behavior (i.e. dismissive of individual and their work) predicted physical, psychological and behavioral symptoms of stress. Witnessing one form of bullying (i.e. dismissive, personal attack and threats) also predicted the physical and psychological symptoms of stress. Research limitations/implications The study is reliant on self reported data and employs a relatively small sample. Practical implications Dismissive behavior in particular is associated with employee stress. Interventions should prioritise this type of workplace bullying. Originality/value Few studies have considered the nature of workplace bullying in a prison context. The current study details the prevalence of bullying amongst prison employees, the extent to which bullying impacts on employee stress, and the components of bullying that may be most harmful

Aggression · Context (archaeology · Criminology · Harassment · Prison · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Scale (ratio · Workplace bullying · Applied Psychology · Clinical Psychology · Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior · Psychology · Social Psychology · Workplace Violence and Bullying