Whitney Van den Brande

Exposure to Workplace Bullying: The Role of Coping Strategies in Dealing with Work Stressors

Studies investigating both work- and individual-related antecedents of workplace bullying are scarce. In reply, this study investigated the interaction between workload, job insecurity, role conflict, and role ambiguity (i.e., work-related antecedents), and problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies (i.e., individual-related antecedents) in association with exposure to workplace bullying. Problem-focused coping strategies were hypothesised to decrease (i.e., buffer) the associations between workload, job insecurity, role conflict, and role ambiguity and exposure to bullying, while emotion-focused coping strategies were hypothesised to increase (i.e., amplify) these associations. Results for a heterogeneous sample (N = 3,105) did not provide evidence for problem-focused coping strategies as moderators. As expected, some emotion-focused coping strategies amplified the associations between work-related antecedents and bullying: employees using “focus on and venting of emotions” or “behavioural disengagement” in dealing with job insecurity, role conflict, or role ambiguity were more likely to be exposed to bullying. Similarly, “seeking social support for emotional reasons” and “mental disengagement” amplified the associations of role ambiguity and the associations of both role conflict and role ambiguity, respectively. To prevent bullying, organisations may train employees in tempering emotion-focused coping strategies, especially when experiencing job insecurity, role conflict, or role ambiguity.

130 Evaluation of an online intervention tool to prevent exposure to workplace bullying

Introduction Researchers have underlined the need to address risk factors for workplace bullying by conducting intervention studies. Given the important role of coping strategies, we developed an online intervention tool to teach employees using efficient coping strategies. In this study, we investigated the impact of this online intervention. We hypothesised that the intervention: decreased emotion-focused coping strategies, stimulated self-efficacy, and reduced exposure to bullying. Methods Longitudinal data were collected in a cross-over study in which participants were assigned to two experimental groups (group 1 and 2) or a control group (group 3). The participants were contacted three times over a period of eight months (time lag of four months between subsequent measurement points) to complete either an online questionnaire or the online intervention. In group 1, participants participated in the intervention during the first four months, including a pre-measurement questionnaire and post-measurements after four and eight months. The second group participated in the intervention after four months, including pre-measurements and post-measurements after eight months. The third group did not receive the intervention and only completed the online questionnaire. Result MANCOVA analyses and non-parametric tests were performed. Results showed that the mean level of exposure to bullying after completing the intervention was lower in both experimental groups compared to the control group. This may indicate that the intervention had an impact on exposure to bullying. However, within-group analysis revealed no significant decrease in workplace bullying over time within group 2. Further, the means of emotion-focused coping strategies (i.e., mental and behavioural disengagement) were lower in group 2 in comparison with the control group. This may indicate that the intervention discouraged using emotion-focused coping strategies. No significant differences were found for self-efficacy. Discussion Future research needs to define contextual factors that are necessary to successfully implement this online intervention.

128 Development of an online intervention tool to prevent exposure to workplace bullying

Introduction Although the negative impact of workplace bullying has been empirically demonstrated, there is little research on preventive interventions regarding workplace bullying. In reply, the aim of this study is to develop an evidence-based online intervention tool to prevent employees from being exposed to workplace bullying. Given the significant role of coping strategies and self-efficacy in becoming a target of bullying, we aim to develop an online intervention that (1) discourages emotion-focused coping strategies, (2) stimulates self-efficacy, and (3) reduces exposure to workplace bullying. Methods The online intervention was developed in three steps. First, we developed a short questionnaire by means of Confirmatory Factor Analysis based on a respresentative sample of the Belgian working population (n=1.068). Second, we developed a personal stress profile module by means of Relative Operating Characteristic Analysis. Third, we developed exercises inspired by the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Result The tool developed (=StressBalancer) contains three steps: StressBarometer is a questionnaire that measures the most relevant work–related stressors (i.e., workload, job insecurity, role conflict and role ambiguity), emotion–focused coping strategies and self–efficacy. My Stress Profile (= Feedback) provides feedback on the employees’ use of emotion–focused coping strategies, their level of self–efficacy and their level of stressors. The profile reports whether employees score safe (= green zone), problematic (= orange zone) or very problematic (= red zone) on these variables. Training contains exercises that aim to discourage emotion–focused coping strategies and aim to stimulate self–efficacy. Discussion Studies have been set up to evaluate the online intervention tool by means of an experimental cross-over design.

141 Can coping strategies alleviate the link between workplace aggression and burnout? the role of seeking instrumental or emotional socal support

Introduction Aggression at the workplace occurs frequently. Workplace aggression negatively impacts employees’ psychological well-being. In the current research, we investigated whether coping strategies alleviated the negative impact of workplace aggression on one important indicator of employees’ psychological well-being, namely burnout (risk). More specifically, we examined whether the coping strategies seeking instrumental or emotional social support moderated the relationship between workplace aggression and burnout symptoms. Methods Questionnaires were administered to employees of a large Belgian hospital. In total, 1544 employees participated (response rate=44%). The scale measuring workplace aggression consisted of three items (α=0,79). Burnout risk was measured with the two most central subscales of the Dutch version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (UBOS), namely emotional exhaustion (5 items; α=0,92) and depersonalization (4 items; α=0,86). Finally, from the COPE questionnaire, we used the subscales seeking instrumental social support (4 items; α=0,92) and emotional social support (4 items; α=0,92). We tested our hypotheses using hierarchical regression analyses. Result Replicating previous research, we found that workplace aggression increases both the levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Furthermore, we found that seeking instrumental social support is a better coping strategy than seeking emotional social support: the former decreases burnout symptoms, whereas the latter may even increase burnout symptoms. Finally, we found that the coping strategy seeking instrumental social support alleviated the relationship between workplace aggression on the one hand and emotional exhaustion and depersonalization on the other. Seeking emotional social support only moderated the relationship between workplace aggression and depersonalization: the level of depersonalization increased for employees with lower scores on this coping strategy when they encountered workplace aggression; employees scoring high on this coping strategy had increased levels of depersonalization regardless of experienced workplace aggression. Discussion Our findings will be discussed in light of its theoretical and practical contributions.