A longitudinal person-centred investigation of bullying profiles in a police organisation

Abstract

This person-centred study investigates how perceptions of various types of bullying behaviours (verbal, social, physical, and power abuse) combine within profiles of employees, and examines the characteristics, stability, predictors, and outcomes of these profiles. A sample of 3333 employees from an Australian police organisation was surveyed twice over 18 months. Our results revealed four profiles characterised by Low, Moderately Low, Moderately High, and High levels of bullying behaviour. Alternative results from a bifactor measurement model also revealed four profiles: High Global and Physical Bullying Behavior, High Global and Social Bullying Behavior, Normative, and High Global, Verbal, and Physical Bullying Behavior. These profiles displayed a moderately low within-sample similarity and within-person stability over time. Role ambiguity, role conflict, and perceived organisational support were all associated with profile membership. Well-being, life satisfaction, stress at work, turnover intention, binge drinking, and alcohol use also differed across profiles, with the highest levels of well-being and life satisfaction found in the Low Bullying / Normative profiles and the highest levels of stress at work, turnover intention, binge drinking, and alcohol use found in the High Bullying Behavior / High Global and Social Bullying Behavior and High Global, Verbal, and Physical Bullying Behavior profiles.