Workplace bullying in a large sample of Italian workers

Introduction: In the last ten years, studies about workplace bullying have increased. Research mainly focused on topics such as the extent of the problem, its mechanisms and consequences, and also issues related to prevention. The size of the problem is not easy to define, since it depends on the measurement method used and the specificity of the samples considered. Studies conducted with questionnaires using cut-off points to define exposure to workplace bullying reported a prevalence rate as high as 10-17%. Other studies, in which the respondents rated frequency and duration of a list of bullying actions, reported a prevalence between 3% and 7% [Einarsen et al. 2003]. Until today, in Italy data about workplace bullying were collected from subjects seeking help from healthcare services. These studies are limited in that they rely on these kinds of sample to determine the size of the problem. It is well known that these samples are highly selected, allowing only an approximate estimate of prevalence in the working population. Aim: The present study aimed at evaluating both the prevalence of workplace bullying in a population of workers from an Italian region and possible consequences on health. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire [Gilioli et al. 2005] was administered with the relevant support of the three major Italian trade-unions (CGIL-CISL-UIL). The questionnaire includes 38 behaviours typically associated with workplace bullying, and it also investigates worker’s health and life quality by means of four questions taken from Euroquest [Gilioli 1994]. On the basis of a previous study, the cut-off point of 5 or more behaviours has been set to indicate a risk of workplace bullying. The sample was composed of 9229 workers employed in different companies in Lombardy (Northern Italy). The majority were men (53.0%); 32.3% were aged ≥45 yrs; 28.1% were blue collars, 57.8% white-collars, 8.9% were managers (5.2% missing). The sample was not entirely representative of the workers’ population, as the proportion of blue-collars and managers was lower than that in the population (in the North-Western Italy 46,1% are blue-collars and 10,2% managers), while the proportion of white-collars was much higher than in the North-Western Italy (30.9%). Results: The results show that 7% of the sample resulted at risk for workplace bullying according to the cut-off point, while there were no significant differences for gender, age and company size between the workplace bullying risk group (WBG) and the non-risk group (nWBG). There were significant differences (X2=27,4 p<.001) for occupation: the likelihood of being in the WBG was grater in the blue collars compared to the white-collars (both clerical workers and managers). However, such difference may be the result of a selection bias due to the partial non-representativeness of the sample. The WBG remained in risk situation for a mean time of 48.2 months (SD 51.5, indicating a high dispersion). Mean days of sick-leave resulted as significantly higher (t=-7,5; p<.001) in WBG (12.3 days) compared to nWBG (7.1 days). According to a multivariate logistic regression, after adjusting for gender, age, marital status, company size and occupational category, being in the WBG was associated with more than a six-fold higher risk of having a perceived poor health status (O.R. 6.3; 95% C.I. 5.2-7.7). Interestingly, each one-point increase in the number of bullying behaviours was associated with a 1.44 higher risk of perceived poor health status (95% C.I 1.40-1.49). Conclusion This is one of the first studies in Italy on workplace bullying in a non-clinic environment with several occupational sectors included. Prevalence of workplace bullying resulted as comparable with other European data, and for victims perceived health status seems to be markedly poorer than their unexposed counterparts. Further studies are needed to delve into the causes and mechanisms of workplace bullying, also considering its development over time and all the possible intervening variables (personality, organizational climate, leadership style, etc.). References Einarsen S., Hoel H., Zapf D. and Cooper C.L. Bullying and emotional abuse in the workplace. International perspectives in research and practice. Taylor and Francis, (2003) London/New York. Gilioli R., Cassitto M. G., Campanini P., Punzi S., Consonni D., Rengo C., Fattorini E., Foà V., Uno strumento per la valutazione del rischio mobbing: CDL2.0. [Questionnaire for the mobbing risk: CDL2.0.] Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro e Ergonomia; 2005, vol.27(3) 380-392. Gilioli R. Central nervous system impairment from long-term exposure to industrial chemicals (Euronest). Epidemiology. IOS Press, 1994.