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Workplace Bullying and Suicidal Ideation: Findings from an Australian Longitudinal Cohort Study of Mid-Aged Workers

Author

Listed:
  • Liana S. Leach

    (National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, The Australia National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia)

  • Lay San Too

    (Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia)

  • Philip J. Batterham

    (Centre for Mental Health Research, Research School of Population Health, The Australia National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia)

  • Kim M. Kiely

    (School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
    Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia)

  • Helen Christensen

    (Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia)

  • Peter Butterworth

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
    Centre for Research on Ageing, Health & Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, The Australia National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia)

Abstract

Workplace bullying adversely affects mental health, yet little is known about the outcomes for suicidal ideation. The current study used Australian population-based data to investigate the association between workplace bullying and suicidal ideation. The sample included 1488 employed participants aged 52–58 from wave 4 of the Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life Study. Workplace bullying was measured in two ways: (a) a single item asked about experiences of bullying ‘currently’, ‘previously in the current workplace’ and ‘in a past workplace’, and (b) 15 items asked about bullying behaviours experienced in the past 6 months. Suicidal ideation was measured using items from the Psychiatric Symptom Frequency Scale (PSF) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Psychosocial job quality, both current and prior, was adjusted for. Current and past experiences of workplace bullying were associated with increased risk of suicidal ideation. Current experiences were no longer associated after adjusting for concurrent indicators of psychosocial job stress, although a tendency for increased ideation remained. Reported prior experience of workplace bullying in a past workplace remained associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation after adjusting for prior psychosocial job stressors and excluding individuals with prior suicidal ideation. Being bullied at work is associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts, although this occurs within the broader influence of other psychologically stressful employment conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Liana S. Leach & Lay San Too & Philip J. Batterham & Kim M. Kiely & Helen Christensen & Peter Butterworth, 2020. "Workplace Bullying and Suicidal Ideation: Findings from an Australian Longitudinal Cohort Study of Mid-Aged Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-12, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:4:p:1448-:d:324381
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nielsen, M.B. & Nielsen, G.H. & Notelaers, G. & Einarsen, S., 2015. "Workplace bullying and suicidal ideation: A 3-wave longitudinal Norwegian study," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(11), pages 23-28.
    2. Bart Verkuil & Serpil Atasayi & Marc L Molendijk, 2015. "Workplace Bullying and Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis on Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(8), pages 1-16, August.
    3. Broom, Dorothy H. & D'Souza, Rennie M. & Strazdins, Lyndall & Butterworth, Peter & Parslow, Ruth & Rodgers, Bryan, 2006. "The lesser evil: Bad jobs or unemployment? A survey of mid-aged Australians," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 575-586, August.
    4. Isabelle Niedhammer & Jean-François Chastang & Hélène Sultan-Taïeb & Greet Vermeylen & Agnès Parent-Thirion, 2013. "Psychosocial work factors and sickness absence in 31 countries in Europe," Post-Print halshs-01228084, HAL.
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