@article{ref1,
title="Workplace bullying and mental health: a meta-analysis on cross-sectional and longitudinal data",
journal="PLoS one",
year="2015",
author="Verkuil, Bart and Atasayi, Serpil and Molendijk, Marc L.",
volume="10",
number="8",
pages="e0135225-e0135225",
abstract="BACKGROUND: A growing body of research has confirmed that workplace bullying is a source of distress and poor mental health. Here we summarize the cross-sectional and longitudinal literature on these associations. <br><br>METHODS: Systematic review and meta-analyses on the relation between workplace bullying and mental health. <br><br>RESULTS: The cross-sectional data (65 effect sizes, N = 115.783) showed positive associations between workplace bullying and symptoms of depression (r =.28, 95% CI =.23-.34), anxiety (r =.34, 95% CI =.29-.40) and stress-related psychological complaints (r =.37, 95% CI =.30-.44). Pooling the literature that investigated longitudinal relationships (26 effect sizes, N = 54.450) showed that workplace bullying was related to mental health complaints over time (r = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.13-0.21). Interestingly, baseline mental health problems were associated with subsequent exposure to workplace bullying (r = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.10-0.27; 11 effect sizes, N = 27.028). LIMITATIONS: All data were self-reported, raising the possibility of reporting- and response set bias. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Workplace bullying is consistently, and in a bi-directional manner, associated with reduced mental health. This may call for intervention strategies against bullying at work.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1932-6203",
doi="10.1371/journal.pone.0135225",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0135225"
}