Relationships between stressful work environments and bullying: Results of a large representative study

Abstract

This paper contributes to the relatively sparse knowledge about relationships between stressful work environments and bullying. Relationships between job stressors and leadership behaviour were analysed as possible predictors of bullying at work on the basis of the work environment hypothesis, which states that stressful and poorly organized work environments may give rise to conditions resulting in bullying. Analyses of a representative sample (n=2539) of the Norwegian workforce showed role conflict, interpersonal conflicts, and tyrannical and laissez-faire leadership behaviour to be strongly related to bullying, and that the strength of associations to a high degree differed for various measures of bullying. Support was found for an interactive relationship between decision authority and role conflict at different levels of laissez-faire leadership. Not only targets and bully/targets but also bystanders assessed their work environment more negatively than did non-involved employees, while perpetrators of bullying did not differ significantly from non-involved employees as regards their perception of the work environment. Hence, bullying is likely to prevail in stressful working environments characterized by high levels of interpersonal friction and destructive leadership styles. In addition, bullying is particularly prevalent in situations where the immediate supervisor avoids intervening in and managing such stressful situations.     

Internal public relations’ role with workplace,spirituality, and religion

This article argues that public relations ought to lead the integration of spirituality and religion in an organization’s workplace. Because no model of this opportunity exists for internal public relations (a.k.a. employee relations or internal communication), this article looks at scholarship about spirituality and religion in the workplace to show links among organizational performance, employee engagement, and public relations operations, particularly that focused on employees. From this research-based approach, guiding principles for public relations’ lead role in integrating spirituality and religion in an organization’s workplace and an operational framework for internal public relations are given so public relations professionals can make the integration reality and effective for all.     

Using an evidence-based CBT group intervention model for adolescents with depressive symptoms: lessons learned from a school-based adaptation

This paper highlights the process of implementing and adapting an evidence-based cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) depression group intervention model for adolescents (ages 11–18) in two middle schools and one alternative high school in the USA. The paper describes the process of moving an evidence-based intervention from a clinic-based setting to a school-based setting by engaging in the following steps: (1) reviewing the literature and selecting the evidence-based intervention with the greatest chance of success in the school environment; (2) adapting the evidence-based intervention to address delivery issues in a school setting; (3) preparing social workers to deliver the evidence-based intervention with fidelity; (4) evaluating the fidelity and outcomes of the implementation of the evidence-based intervention; and (5) addressing issues of sustainability or continuous quality improvement of the evidence-based intervention. The paper concludes with a section on lessons learned from piloting an adaptation of an evidence-based intervention in a real world setting.     

Family Characteristics and Traumatic Consequences Associated with the Duration and Frequency of Sexual Assault

The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between family characteristics and the trauma associated with the duration and frequency of sexual assault on child survivors in the state of Sabah, Malaysia. Eighty children who reported sexual assault through a one stop crisis centre in an urban hospital were studied. The main research instrument used was adapted from the trauma symptoms checklist for children. The results of the study show that there are significant differences between the symptoms of trauma of victims according to the frequency of sexual assault, but not according to its duration. Social workers need both to understand and to take note of the relationship of the variables of family characteristics, frequency of sexual assault and trauma effects on the victims in their intervention work with child sexual assault survivors who report having been abused. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of providing crisis intervention by social workers in Malaysia for child victims of sexual assault.     

消极互惠:心理契约违背对商业模式创新的影响机理研究——一个有调节的中介模型

创新者的心理契约对其在组织中的创新行为起到重要的影响作用,但对心理契约违背如何影响商业模式创新还缺乏深入的探究。论文从消极认知的视角出发,以社会交换理论、马斯洛需求层次理论及认知失调理论为基础,运用结构方程模型与Bootstrap相结合的方法,探讨了心理契约违背对商业模式创新的作用路径,重点分析了自我实现破坏的中介作用以及职场排斥对这一中介路径的调节作用。研究结果表明:(1)心理契约违背对商业模式创新的直接作用不显著;(2)自我实现破坏分别在交易契约违背、发展契约违背、关系契约违背与商业模式创新的关系中起到完全中介作用;(3)职场排斥在自我实现破坏与商业模式创新间的关系中起到调节作用;(4)职场排斥在心理契约违背、自我实现破坏与商业模式创新的中介关系中起到调节作用。在此基础上,研究提出了相关建议。     

A green social work perspective on social work during the time of COVID‐19

COVID‐19 has challenged social workers to engage with health pandemics and provide essential services in conditions of uncertainty and high risk. They have safeguarded children, older adults and diverse adults in ‘at risk’ groups under tough conditions mediated by digital technologies, adhered to government injunctions, maintained social and physical distancing under lockdown and worked from home remotely. Social workers and social care workers have risen to the challenges, providing services with inadequate personal protective equipment and limited supervision and support. This article highlights the degraded physical environments, socio‐economic and political contexts that intensify precariousness and constraints that neoliberalism imposed on professional capacity before and during this health pandemic. It provides guidelines to protect practitioners and service users. It concludes that practitioners ought to understand zoonotic diseases, environmental concerns, acquire disaster expertise and training, widen their practice portfolio and value their contributions to this pandemic. Key Practitioner Message: ? Develop technological skills and innovate to support stressed individuals, safeguard children, adolescents and elders and deal with poverty and unemployment; ? Use digital technologies involving peers to explore tricky situations, examine ethical dilemmas through scenario building exercises, and tips for self‐care; ? Contribute to environmental protections that prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases like COVID‐19; ? Seek supervision and support for disaster‐based training from your line manager.     

The Psychology of Working in Practice: A Theory of Change for a New Era

This article advances the psychology of working theory by developing a parallel change‐based paradigm to guide interventions at the level of individuals (i.e., the psychology of working counseling) and systems (i.e., the psychology of working systemic intervention). The change paradigm presented in this article includes (a) a needs assessment encompassing survival, social connection/contribution, and self‐determination and (b) input on the mobilization of agentic action that includes critical reflection and action, proactive engagement, social support, and community engagement. The needs assessment and agentic action aspects of this approach can be used to foster change in individual counseling, advocacy, and systemic intervention. Case examples reflecting a systemic intervention and an individual counseling vignette are presented along with implications for research, such as explorations of the impact of these change models on client outcomes and systemic change efforts.     

Admitting women in active labour: A randomised controlled trial about the effects of protocol use on childbirth method and interventions

AimTo determine the effects of protocol of admitting women in active labour on childbirth method and interventions during labour and childbirth.MethodsThis single-blind randomised clinical trial was conducted in a public hospital in Mazandaran province (Iran) in 2017. Two hundred nulliparous low-risk women were randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. The participant women were admitted in the intervention group using the admission protocol and to the group control by staff midwives and doctors. The admission criteria of the protocol were: the presence of regular, painful contractions, the cervix at least four cm dilated and at least one of the following cues: cervix effaced, and spontaneous rupture of membranes, or “show”. The primary outcome measure was childbirth method. Data were analyzed in SPSS-22 using Mann–Whitney and Chi–square tests. The level of statistical significance was set as p < 0.05.FindingThere were significant differences between the intervention and control groups in the number of caesarian section (CS) (p < 0.001). Two groups had a statistically significant difference in amniotomy (p = 0.003), augmentation by oxytocin (p < 0.001), number of vaginal examinations (p < 0.001) and fundal pressure (p < 0.001).ConclusionsUsing a protocol for admission of low risk nulliparous women in active labour contributed to reduction of the primary caesarean section rate and interventions during childbirth. A risk assessment and using evidence informed guidelines in admission can contribute to reduce unsafe and harmful practices and support normalisation of birth. This is essential for demedicalisation and a useful strategy for reducing primary CS.     

Participatory analysis of accidents and incidents as a tool for increasing safety behaviour in fishermen. A pilot intervention study

Although occupational accidents are common in fishery, safety work is often not given priority by the fishermen. The aims of this study were to test a group-based intervention for increased activity in safety work through group discussion of accident/incident experience; to study occurred incidents/accidents and how such events were managed; and to study intervention effects on activity in safety work, risk acceptance and perceived manageability of risks. A sample of men from five crews (11 men) of Swedish fishermen participated. The study had a one group pre-test-post-test design for questionnaire data. The emphasis was on qualitative information collected during the intervention and interviews. The results indicated that accident causes could be appraised as being unmanageable even when technical solutions were possible. Psychological factors may cause incidents not to be documented or discussed. Incident experience seldom leads to preventive measures. Interaction between structural, social and psychological factors seemed to explain this. Questionnaires, observations and interview data suggested that some increase in safety work took place during the intervention. After the discussions the participants perceived risks to be less manageable. The study indicated that, although sensitive to dropout, participative safety interventions in fishery are feasible and may be effective. A longer or more intensive intervention may be necessary in order to progress from problem orientation to action orientation.