%0 Journal Article
%T Mobbing: a meta-analysis
%A Sancini A
%A Tomei F
%A Ciarrocca M
%A Di Pastena C
%J Prevention and Research : International Open Access Journal of Prevention and Research in Medicine
%D 2012
%I Prevention and Research
%R 10.7362/2240-2594.031.2012
%X Background: Mobbing is the set of discriminatory and oppressive acts carried out against a worker for a long period of time. Objective: Considered the lack of plain scientific evidences of the consequences of mobbing on the victims¡¯ life, the aim of our meta-analysis is to review the articles present in literature and to find and evaluate the effects of mobbing on the psychophysical health of mobbed workers. Methods: Through this systematic search of the articles existing in literature between 1990 and 2009, we found 13 publications useful to our aim. They were case-control studies and offer results expressed as mean and measures of dispersion, which were our inclusion criteria.Statistical analysis was performed on subcategories identified within 5 general categories. Results: On the base of statistically significant results, we found that mobbed workers in the category ¡°Measures of personality¡± have an increase of cynicism, with a low heterogeneity among studies, a reduction of emotional balance (high heterogeneity among studies), of belief in justice (high heterogeneity among studies) and of self-esteem. In the category ¡°Measures of mental health¡± we found a significant increase of stress and of impairment of mental health, in both cases with high heterogeneity among studies. Mobbed workers show a significant impairment of physical health too, with high heterogeneity among studies. The results of the category ¡°Measures of perceived occupational stress¡± show that the worker¡¯s role and the lack of support from colleagues (in both cases with low heterogeneity among studies) can influence and worsen cases of mobbing. In the category ¡°Measures of coping strategies¡± there aren¡¯t significant differences between victims and controls. Conclusions: We can conclude that mobbing affects the victims¡¯ working and social life and their psychophysical health.
%K mobbing
%K workplace harassment
%K workplace bullying
%K meta-analysis
%U http://www.preventionandresearch.com/mobbing-a-meta-analysis.html