The Relationship Between Organizational Bullying and Mental Health from the Perspective of Public Sector Employees in Jordan: Occupational Stress and Social Support as Mediating Variables

Haitham Ali Hijazi; Mohammad  Al-Bataineh; Salim  Alkaraky

doi:10.23918/ejmss.V6i2p43

Authors

Haitham Ali Hijazi Jerash University, Business Department, Jordan
Mohammad Al-Bataineh Jerash University, Business Department, Jordan
Salim Alkaraky Jerash University, Business Department, Jordan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23918/ejmss.V6i2p43

Keywords:

Organizational Bullying, Mental Health, Occupational Stress, Social Support, Public Sector, Jordan

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the direct effect of organizational bullying on mental health, after controlling the effect of two mediating variables (occupational stress and social support), from the perspective of employees in public sector organizations in Jordan. The population of the study included all employees in public sector organizations in Jordan, and the number of them was (234.044) employees. The sample of the study included (407) employees. The results of the study have shown that the statistically significant relationship was found between organizational bullying and mental health after controlling the effect of the two mediating variables (occupational stress and social support). The results of the study also showed that all of the dimensions of organizational bullying (verbal bullying, exclusion & isolation and task‑related stress) were statistically significantly related to mental health while the fourth dimension (attacks on professional reputation) hasn’t any effect on mental health. The study recommended building multilayered social support and designing out role stressors.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Acoba, E. F., Aguilar-Vafaie, M. E., & Ponce-González, M. C. (2024). Social support and mental health: The mediating role of perceived stress. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 318.

Al’Ararah, K., Al-Salim, T., & Al-Maaitah, R. (2024). Mitigating job burnout in Jordanian public healthcare: The roles of ethical leadership, organizational climate, and role overload. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 17, 1759–1773.

Alharbi, J., Alonazi, W. B., & Alqahtani, M. (2023). The role of social support in reducing occupational stress and enhancing organizational commitment: Evidence from healthcare workers. BMC Health Services Research, 23, 456.

Al-Haroon, H. I., & Al-Qahtani, M. F. (2022). Occupational stress and its impact on job performance among public sector employees. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 35(7), 815–832.

Alrawashdeh, M. N., Alshurideh, M. T., Abuhashesh, M., & Masa’deh, R. (2024). Workplace cyberbullying and social capital among employees in Jordan. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11, 365.

Alshamsi, A. I., Almazrouei, S., Al-Falasi, B., & Al-Ali, N. (2022). Psychosocial safety climate moderates the effect of job demands/resources on burnout and engagement. Frontiers in Health Services, 2, 824619.

Amoadu, M., Cobbinah, B., Adusei, S., & Boateng, F. (2024). Preventing workplace mistreatment and improving workers’ mental health: The role of psychosocial safety climate. BMC Psychology, 12, 312.

Anwar, A., Abdullah, H., & Aslam, S. (2023). Job stress, emotional exhaustion, and mental health outcomes among public sector employees. Journal of Public Administration and Policy Research, 15(2), 45–57.

Baillien, E., Escartín, J., Van den Broeck, A., & Notelaers, G. (2021). Towards a three-way model of workplace bullying: A daily-diary perspective. Work & Stress, 35(1), 1–23.

Bakker, A. B. (2023). Job Demands–Resources Theory: Ten years later. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 10, 25–52.

Belgasm, H., Hammad, A. A., & Suliman, E. (2025). Interpersonal conflict and employee behavior in the public sector: The mediating role of workplace ostracism and the moderating role of empathic listening. Behavioral Sciences, 15(2), 194.

Brough, P., Biggs, A., & Rose, J. (2022). The role of social support in managing occupational stress: A longitudinal study. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 27(2), 123–135.

Brougham, D., & Haar, J. (2020). Technostress, work–life balance, and emotional support: The moderating role of flexible work practices. Human Resource Management, 59(5), 483–495.

Chireh, B., Yong, J., & D’Arcy, C. (2025). Workplace stressors and mental health outcomes among personal support workers: A systematic review. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 199, 10–27.

Demerouti, E. (2023). Job Demands–Resources theory in times of crises: new propositions. Organizational Psychology Review, 13(1), 3–31.

Einarsen, S., Hoel, H., Zapf, D., & Cooper, C. L. (2020). Bullying and harassment in the workplace: Theory, research and practice (3rd ed.). CRC Press.

Galanis, P., Katsiroumpa, A., Vraka, I., & Siskou, O. (2024). Association between workplace bullying, job stress, and professional quality of life in nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(4), 1–16.

Ganster, D. C., & Rosen, C. C. (2023). Work stress and employee health: An updated review and future directions. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 10, 83–109.

Hakanen, J. J., Schaufeli, W. B., & Ahola, K. (2021). The role of emotional stability in protecting employees from burnout and depression. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 26(2), 123–134.

Hammer, L. B., Truxillo, D. M., Bodner, T. E., & Koppes, S. (2022). The role of supervisor and coworker support in occupational health: A multilevel examination. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 27(3), 291–304.

Hori, H., Oi, Y., & Sato, N. (2023). Occupational stress and its relationship with burnout and performance: A transactional perspective. Journal of Occupational Health, 65(1), e12358.

Idris, M. A., & Dollard, M. F. (2020). Psychosocial safety climate, role ambiguity, and employee well-being: A multilevel study. Stress and Health, 36(4), 427–439.

Jain, A., Leka, S., & Zwetsloot, G. (2022). Enhancing mental health and well-being at work: Strategies and interventions. Safety and Health at Work, 13(3), 275–284.

Javed, B., Rawwas, M. Y., Khandai, S., Shahid, K., & Tayyeb, H. H. (2021). Ethical leadership, role conflict, and job outcomes: A moderated mediation model. Journal of Business Ethics, 170(3), 559–577.

Jenkins, M., Winefield, H., & Sarris, A. (2021). Social exclusion in the workplace: A multi-level review and future research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 23(2), 147–169.

Jia, Y., Hou, Z., & Li, Y. (2021). Appraisal support, occupational stress, and employee engagement: A moderated mediation model. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 94(4), 810–829.

Keashly, L., & Neuman, J. H. (2021). Workplace bullying and aggression: Impact, prevention, and intervention. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 8, 241–267.

Keyes, C. L. M., Dhingra, S. S., & Simoes, E. J. (2020). The relationship of psychological well-being with health and work performance. Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(5), 591–600.

Lakey, B., & Orehek, E. (2020). Relational regulation theory: A new approach to explain the link between perceived social support and mental health. Psychological Review, 127(5), 842–859.

Lam, P. H., Leung, D., & Ma, C. (2024). An extension to the stress-buffering model: Timing of social support matters. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 5, 100221.

Lee, H., & Kim, S. (2022). The role of informational support in mitigating the effects of role ambiguity on employee stress. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 33(7), 1289–1310.

Li, X., Wang, H., & Gao, Y. (2021). Emotional support at work and employee well-being: The mediating role of psychological capital. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 127

Liang, Y., Xie, J., & Li, D. (2021). Dimensions of workplace bullying and their outcomes: A review. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 26(5), 409–427.

Liu, J., Niu, S., & Zhang, L. (2021). Workplace bullying and occupational well-being: The mediating role of psychological safety. Journal of Business and Psychology, 36(5), 899–912.

Loerbroks, A., Bosch, J. A., & Mommersteeg, P. M. (2021). The association of work stress with mental and physical health outcomes: A meta-analytic review. Psychosomatic Medicine, 83(5), 387–396.

Martela, F. (2025). Well-being as having, loving, and being (preprint). Self-Determination Theory.

Mazzetti, G., Schaufeli, W. B., & Guglielmi, D. (2021). Coping with job demands and counterproductive work behavior: The role of workload stress, role ambiguity, and lack of support. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 654.

Mitsakis, F. V., & Aravopoulou, E. (2022). Workplace bullying as an organizational phenomenon: Implications for HRM and leadership. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 12(2), 45–63.

Mubarak, S., & Noor, A. (2022). Role conflict, role ambiguity, and occupational stress: Evidence from public sector employees. Employee Relations, 44(5), 1178–1194.

Newman, A., Donohue, R., & Eva, N. (2020). Psychological safety, social support, and employee outcomes in the workplace: A systematic review. Human Resource Management Review, 30(1), 100680.

Nielsen, M. B., Rosander, M., & Einarsen, S. V. (2024). Witnessing workplace bullying—A systematic review and meta-analysis of individual health and well-being outcomes. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 73, 101928.

Parent-Lamarche, A. (2022). The relationship between organizational factors and employee mental health: A review of current research. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 39(4), 556–569.

Park, R., Chun, H., & Lee, H. (2020). Appraisal support and employee performance: The role of feedback quality. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(19), 7168.

Parzefall, M.-R., & Salin, D. (2020). Perceptions of and reactions to workplace bullying: A social exchange perspective. Human Relations, 73(6), 962–990.

Quinn, S., & Gershenson, A. (2025). The impact of organizational culture on bullying behavior in public institutions. Public Personnel Management, 54(2), 145–168.

Rai, A., & Agarwal, U. A. (2020). Workplace bullying and employee silence: A moderated mediation model of psychological contract violation and workplace friendship. Personnel Review, 49(2), 425–444.

Rhee, S., Hur, W. M., & Kim, M. (2020). The relationship of role conflict and ambiguity to employee outcomes: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 41(6), 611–628.

Rodríguez-Muñoz, A., Baillien, E., & Moreno-Jiménez, B. (2021). Short-term effects of exposure to workplace bullying on objective sleep patterns: An actigraphy diary study. Stress and Health, 40(2), 234–245.

Salama, W., El-Said, O. A., & El-Said, M. (2022). Impact of work stress and job burnout on turnover intention. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9536.

Samnani, A.-K., & Singh, P. (2020). Known and unknown aspects of workplace bullying. Human Resource Development Review, 19(4), 325–350.

Sarkar, S. (2020). Verbal aggression in the workplace: Implications for psychological well-being and job performance. Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, 12(3), 167–178.

Semmer, N. K., Meier, L. L., & Beehr, T. A. (2025). Social support at work: Helpful or harmful? Organizational Psychology Review, 15(1), 1–28.

Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2022). Recovery from work stress: The role of psychological detachment and recovery experiences. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 27(1), 3–15.

Spagnoli, P., Balducci, C., & Fraccaroli, F. (2023). The multifaceted nature of workplace bullying: Dimensionality and associations with job outcomes. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 28(3), 215–227.

Spence Laschinger, H. K., Fida, R., & Read, E. A. (2022). The impact of workplace bullying on professional identity and job engagement among healthcare professionals. Journal of Nursing Management, 30(5), 1121–1130.

Sun, S., Zhang, L., & Li, H. (2025). Workplace bullying and turnover intentions among workers: A meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 25, 23339.

Taheri, T., Sadeghi, A., & Hashemi, S. (2025). The impact of good governance on organizational health with organizational accountability as a mediator. BMC Health Services Research, 25, 12921.

Tan, L., Wang, M., Modini, M., Joyce, S., Mykletun, A., Christensen, H., & Harvey, S. B. (2023). Workplace mental health: The role of job stressors and resources. Occupational Medicine, 73(1), 21–29.

Thoits, P. A. (2021). Mechanisms linking social ties and support to mental health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 62(2), 145–161.

Trépanier, S.-G., Fernet, C., & Austin, S. (2020). Workplace bullying and psychological health at work: The mediating role of need satisfaction and work engagement. Work & Stress, 34(3), 261–279.

Wang, R., Liu, J., & Zhang, Y. (2025). The relationships between social support seeking and well-being: A meta-analysis and review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(3), 1234.

World Health Organization. (2020). Occupational health: Stress at the workplace. Geneva: WHO.

World Health Organization. (2022). Mental health: Strengthening our response. WHO.

World Health Organization. (2025). Mental health: Strengthening our response. Fact sheet.

Yılmaz, S. E., & Çıtak, Ş. (2025). Exploring the effects of perceived social support and psychological distress through mediation and multigroup analyses in work-related quality of life. Scientific Reports, 15, Article 641.

Youssef-Morgan, C. M., & Luthans, F. (2021). Psychological well-being and workplace outcomes: A positive organizational behavior perspective. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 42(4), 467–482.

Zadow, A., Dollard, M. F., McLinton, S. S., Lawrence, P., & Tuckey, M. R. (2021). Psychosocial safety climate and the buffering role of social support against occupational stress. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4726.

Zhang, J., Wu, C., & Miao, R. (2021). Emotional stability, stress resilience, and employee outcomes: A longitudinal study. Stress and Health, 37(3), 456–465.

Zhang, J., Yang, F., & Xu, Q. (2023). Instrumental support and employee adaptation during organizational change: The mediating role of stress appraisal. Stress and Health, 39(2), 285–297.