Health outcomes and self-labeling as a victim of workplace bullying

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated the extent to which self-labeling as a victim of workplace bullying mediates or moderates the relationship between exposure to bullying and the target's health outcomes.

Methods: Data were collected by means of anonymous self-report questionnaires. A total of 1024 employees in a transport organization participated in the study, among whom 116 self-labeled victims were identified. Exposure to bullying was measured by a short version of the Negative Acts Questionnaire, while the respondents' health outcomes were measured by the Bergen Health Checklist.

Results: The findings showed that self-labeling both moderated and partially mediated the relationship between exposure to bullying and the targets' health. However, the moderator analyses indicate that self-labeling only acts as moderator in cases of low exposure. Intense exposure to bullying behaviors is related to increased levels of health complaints regardless of the target's subjective appraisal of being a victim or not.

Conclusion: Self-labeling as a victim plays an important role in the victimizing process, although persistent exposure to workplace bullying seems to have considerable harmful effects on the target's health independently of whether the experience is labeled as bullying or not.