Adult Bullying in the Workplace and the Medical Field: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Bullying is generally defined as a behaviour that occurs when an individual (perpetrator) acts with the intention to harm or intimidate another individual (target). Much of the research in this field has focused on the impact of bullying on the vulnerable populations: children and adolescents, and there is an overall scarcity in discussing adult bullying. The literature supports the existence of characteristic differences between targets and perpetrators as perpetrators usually lack self-awareness and empathy skills, while targets are typically avoidant and submissive. In the workplace, the relationship between perpetrators and targets often involves a form of power imbalance, with perpetrators holding higher positions. Research has shown that up to 30% of American workers have been bullied in the workplace (Lutgen-Sandivk et al., 2007), with one third of healthcare workers experiencing at least 2 incidents of bullying weekly (Chipps et al., 2013). More than 75% of Canadian medical residents have reported being bullied (Vogel, 2018), and 83% of medical students have experienced at least one incident of bullying or mistreatment (Cook et al., 2014). Such bullying incidents have a significant biopsychosocial burden on victims and can negatively compromise their mental, physical, and social health, and create a pernicious work environment. Some consequences that have been associated with adult bullying include mood and anxiety disorders, suicidal ideation, somatic disorders, and decreased job performance. In the medical field, all such consequences could translate to a direct impact on patient care. Therefore, discussing and addressing adult bullying becomes a necessity.