The Structure and Measurement of Workplace Bullying in China

Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2011, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (5) : 1201-1208.

PDF(790 KB)
PDF(790 KB)
Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2011, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (5) : 1201-1208.

The Structure and Measurement of Workplace Bullying in China

Author information +
History +

Abstract

Workplace bullying refers to the nagative behaviors which the staffs suffer continuously and repeatedly, and the negative behaviors come from one or more person. It has become one of the critical issues in the fields of occupational health psychology。Different dimensions of workplace bullying were identified in the western literature, and it is unknown the same questionnaire that is used in Western context can be used in Chinese context. The purpose of the current research is to investigate the domain of workplace bullying behavior and develop an indigenous measure in the Chinese context. The methods used in the study involved literature review, interview, pilot study and survey. Based on the literature, interview and pilot study, items for Workplace Bullying Content Questionnaire were developed. First, by the content analysis of data collected from 42 staffs (using structured interview) and from 85 staffs (using open - ended questionnaires) from various enterprises, the primary Workplace Bullying Questionnaire was established in China. Then, data was collected from employees of some companies which were different kinds and from different districts of China. The survey date was mainly analyzed with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of a date from a sample of 229 employees showed that Workplace Bullying was a three-dimension construct in China, which included personal attack, attack through work tasks, social exclusion. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of a date from another sample of 207 employees further confirmed Workplace Bullying Questionnaire’s factorial validity. Internal consistency analyses and hierarchical regression analyses showed that Workplace Bullying Questionnaire had suitable reliability and high validity. The measure developed in the research provides starting points for future studies on workplace bullying in Chinese. The current research will not only be helpful to understand the phenomenon of workplace bullying in Chinese context, but also provide practical implications for managers. In the last, current limitations and future orientations were also discussed.

Key words

workplace bullying / personal attack / attack through work tasks / social exclusion

Cite this article

Download Citations
The Structure and Measurement of Workplace Bullying in China[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2011, 34(5): 1201-1208
PDF(790 KB)

Accesses

Citation

Detail

Sections
Recommended

/