Workplace Bullying and Depression Among the Saudi Working Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Workplace bullying (WPB) is a growing global issue that remains insufficiently recognized and addressed. This study aims to explore the prevalence of workplace bullying among working Saudi Arabian residents, its associated factors, and its relationship with depression. This cross-sectional study included 613 workers from public and private sectors in Saudi Arabia. Sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, medical and psychiatric history, and workplace bullying experiences were assessed. Workplace bullying was measured using both a self-labeling approach and the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R), while depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The sample consisted predominantly of females (62%), public sector employees (55%), and individuals with bachelor’s degrees (60%), with a mean age of 34.04 (SD = 9.14) years. Based on the self-labeling approach, 55.1% of participants reported experiencing workplace bullying. Using the NAQ-R, 34.7% reported exposure to workplace bullying-related negative acts, including person-related (37.8%), work-related (35.6%), and intimidation-related behaviors (28.4%). Bullying was most frequently reported from males (39.6%), primarily supervisors (65.3%) and co-workers (56%). Workplace bullying was moderately positively correlated with depression (r = 0.538, p < 0.01). Factors associated with higher workplace bullying scores included female gender, being divorced or widowed, older age, smoking, longer working hours, private sector employment, higher socioeconomic status, and specific occupational groups. Workplace bullying is prevalent among the Saudi working population and is significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Identifying high-risk groups is essential for informing targeted workplace interventions and policies. Further research is needed to explore effective prevention and intervention strategies.