1. Guy Notelaers1,2 Hans De Witte1 Stale Einarsen3
The role of bullying at work in explaining stress and well-being at work
Guy Notelaers1,2
Hans De Witte1
Stale Einarsen3
1: Leuven University, Department of Psychology, Research Group on Stress, Health and Well-being, Belgium
2: DIOVA-DIRACT Federal Government, Labour Department , Belgium
3: Bergen University, Department of Psychology, Norway
European Congress Work and Organisational Psychology, Istanbul, 2005

2. 0. Outline Review of current research Data & measurement instruments
Methodology : how to address this issue
Results
Bivariate analysis of consequences of bullying
Multivariate analysis within SEM
Discussion

3. 1. Review of current research
Strains :
Emotional reactions (Bjorkvist et al., 1994; Rayner, 1999; Zapf, 1999b),
Psychosomatic complaints (Zapf, Knorz & Kulla, 1996, Mikkelsen & Einarsen, 2002b ; Halama & Mökkel, Leymann & Gustafsson, 1996),
Anxiety (Janoff-Bulman, 1992; Bjorkvist et al., 1994; Asforth, 1994; Zapf, 199b, O’Moore, 1998, Mackensen von Astfeld, 2000, Niedl 1996),
Recovery need (Hubert, 2001)
Quality of sleep (Bjorkvist et al., 1994; Zapf, Knorz & Kulla, 1996, Leymann & Gustafsson, 1996)
Disorders
General Anxiety Disorder (Leymann & Gustafsson, 1996)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Leymann & Gustafsson, 1996; Romanov, et al., 1996; Bjorkvist, et al., 1994; Einarsen, et al., 1998)
Prolonged Stress Disorder (Mikkelsen & Einarsen, 2001:2002)
Aim: to investigate the relationship between bullying at work and strains.

4. 2. Data
During , 4505 questionnaires were collected from 13 companies
Average age of respondents: 40 years (std deviation = 12,5).
Average tenure is eleven years (std deviation = 10,3).
65% private sector / 35% government or government institutions.

5. Educational level
Language
Basic school
2.5
Dutch 57
Lower secondary
9.9
French 43
Higher secondary 29
higher education 24
university 28
Working regime
post graduate
6.9
during the day 81
Shift work 13
Hours work / week
irregular service 5
less than 25 hours
5.4
nightshift
between 25 hours and 40 63
between 41 and 48 hours 20
contract
more than 48 hours 12
fixed 85
temporary
7,2
Other type of contract 5.8
Gender
Managerial position
female 39
Yes
male 61 No 80

6. 3. Measurement instruments
Stressors and strains: the VBBA, a 26 dimensional, validated questionnaire (van Veldhoven & Meijman, 1994)
Bullying at work: the NAQ, (only 17 items), validated for French and Dutch speaking respondents (Notelaers, et. al, 2004)

7. 4. Methodology
Bivariate analysis with total scales from the VBBA and the total item list of the NAQ
Items of the NAQ were not dichomized. Following Mikkelsen & Einarsen (2001;2002) we summed the items … assuming a uni-dimensional measurement (the same holds for the VBBA scales)
Multivariate analysis within SEM (Lisrel 8.54)
For modelling purposes the number of items of the NAQ and the VBBA-scales were reduced in LISREL in order to obtain unique factors

8. Multivariate analysis : research strategy
Split half design
One part to explore a model (exploratory phase)
One part to test a model (confirmatory phase)
Exploratory analysis
Start is the regression model (Notelaers et al., 2003, 2004)
Interaction between modification indices and stress theories to decide on new paths
Model evaluation by Δ² with Δdf (nested models) and AIC / CAIC (non nested models)
Confirmatory analysis : see whether model from exploratory analysis fits the data
Exact fit evaluation by ² with a certain number of df
Approximate fit evaluation by RMSEA

9. 5. Results 5.1. Bivariate analysis - correlation analysis - t-test
5.2. Multivariate analysis
- full model
- antecedents of bullying
- consequences of bullying
- antecedents and consequences of bullying and stress
5.3 Conclusion

10. 5.1.1 Bivariate results : correlation matrix
bullying at work 1
workload
-0,21***
participation
-0,36***
0,04**
role conflict
-0,5***
0,33***
0,32***
role ambiguity
-0,38***
0,12***
0,49***
0,41***
problems with change at work
-0,32***
0,26***
0,47***
0,34***
recovery need
-0,31***
0,44***
0,21***
0,22***
0,3***
worrying
-0,24***
0,35***
0,03*
0,13***
0,24***
0,48***
sleep quality
0,25***
0,23***
0,19***
0,54***

11. 5.1.2 Bivariate results t-test
SYMP-TOMS OF STRESS
ANTE-
CE-DENTS
OF STRESSAND BULLY-ING

12. Conclusion bivariate analysis
Moderate strength of the relationship between bullying and its antecedents and consequences
Victims of bullying (operational criterion) report a negative work environment and also an elevated level of strains (LCA approaches show -1 STD)

13. 5.2 Multivariate analysis
Full model
Fragmentation of the model
Antecedents
Consequences
Conclusion

14. 5.2.0 Multivariate analysis of full model (confirmatory step)
RMSEA=0.030
Independ. CAIC= Model CAIC = 2466
Saturated CAIC=
NFI=0.93
CFI=0.93
GFI=0.83
-.44
-. 3
-.08 .1
.32
-.35
-.12 .3
.36
-.14
.64
.07
-.11
-.23
.44 .2
-.47 .4
.22
. 39
workload
role conflict
worrying
recovery need
bullying at work
role ambiguity
problems change
participation level
sleep quality

15. 5.2.1 Antecedents of bullying
.64
.07
-.11
-.23
.44 .2
-.47
-.12 .4
.22
. 39
workload
role conflict
bullying at work
role ambiguity
problems change
participation level

16. 5.2.2 Consequences of bullying
-.44
-. 3
-.08
.32
.30
worrying
recovery need
bullying at work
sleep quality

17. 5.2.3 Antecedents and consequences of bullying at work (partial picture)
-.44
-. 3
-.08
.10
.32
.35
-.12
.30
.36
-.14
-.11
workload
worrying
recovery need
bullying at work
participation level
sleep quality

18. 5.3 Conclusion
Bullying at work is explained by ‘role’ problems and by JDC
Role conflict is a dominant explanatory variable for bullying
Bullying moderates the relationships between role problems and strains
Bullying and JD have equal strenght while explaining worrying and recovery need
Recovery need and worrying moderates the relationship between bullying and sleep quality

19. Is bullying an extreme stressor?
Being a victim of bullying causes extreme stress
The process of bullying modelled as a latent variable is has the same importance in explaining strains as the other work characteristics