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Measuring Workplace Bullying

NCJ Number
192582
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 2002 Pages: 33-51
Author(s)
Helen Cowie; Paul Naylor; Ian Rivers; Peter K. Smith; Beatriz Pereira
Date Published
2002
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This article on the measurement of workplace bullying first examines definitional issues and then reviews a range of methods for assessing workplace bullying, concluding with recommendations for future research in this area.
Abstract
Workplace bullying is increasingly being recognized as a serious problem in contemporary society. It is also a problem that can be difficult to define and assess accurately. Research in this area has been hampered by a lack of appropriate measurement techniques. Social scientists can play a key role in addressing the phenomenon of workplace bullying by developing and applying a range of research methods to capture its nature and incidence in a range of contexts. The authors reviewed current methods of research into the phenomenon of bullying in the workplace. They examined definitional issues, including the type, frequency, and duration of bullying acts; and they considered the role of values and norms of the workplace culture in influencing perception and measurement of bullying behavior. The discussion reviewed measurement methods that focused on "inside" perspectives on the experience of bullying, including questionnaires and surveys, self-report through diary-keeping, personal accounts through interviews, focus groups and critical-incident technique, and projective techniques such as bubble dialog. Also addressed were "outside" perspectives, including observational methods and peer nominations. Multi-method approaches that integrate both "inside" and "outside" perspectives, including case studies, were also reviewed. The authors suggest that multi-method approaches may offer a useful way forward for researchers and for practitioners anxious to assess and counter the problem of bullying in their organizations. 66 references

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