Citation

O'Donnell SM, MacIntosh JA. Qual. Health Res. 2015; 26(3): 351-366.

Affiliation

University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1049732314566321

PMID

25568094

Abstract

Although men are targets of workplace bullying, there is limited research focused on their experiences. To address this gap, we used a qualitative grounded theory approach and interviewed a community sample of 20 Atlantic Canadian men to explore and explain their experiences of, and responses to, bullying. The main problem identified by men was a lack of workplace support to address and resolve the bullying, a challenge named abandonment. Men addressed this problem by surviving, a process that involved efforts to manage persistent bullying and the associated consequences. Men experienced physical, emotional, and social health consequences and, contrary to prevailing assumptions related to men's help-seeking behaviors, men want support and many sought help to address the problem and its consequences. Responses to abandonment and the associated consequences varied according to a number of factors including gender and highlight the need for research aimed at understanding the gendered nature of bullying.

Language: en