Vold, trakassering og mobbing blant ansatte i barnevernet
Forskere fra STAMI har i denne studien undersøkt om klientutøvet vold, trakassering på internett og mobbing blant kollegaer hadde innvirkning på søvn hos 424 barnevernsansatte i en 6 måneders studie. Forskerne fant at vold utøvet av klienter, trakassering på internett og mobbing fra kollegaer var risikofaktorer for å utvikle insomni blant barnevernsansatte. De konkluderte videre med at arbeidsgiver må prioritere strategier for å forebygge og håndtere disse problemene og dermed redusere risikoen for insomni blant de ansatte.
Publisert 11.08.2022
Morten Birkeland Nielsen, Sana Parveen, Live Bakke Finne
Studien er publisert i International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
Objective: This study examines how workplace mistreatment relates to insomnia among child welfare workers. The main aim was to determine the impact of three different forms of mistreatment, namely client perpetrated violence, cyber harassment, and colleague perpetrated bullying, on changes in levels of insomnia over time. A secondary aim was to examine whether these three forms of mistreatment represent overlapping or distinct and unique phenomena.
Methods: The study was based on a probability sampled prospective survey of 424 Norwegian child welfare workers. Time lag between baseline and follow-up was six months. A confirmatory factor analysis determined the dimensionality of the indicators of mistreatment. TwoStep cluster analysis was used to examine patterns of exposure. Between and within group changes in insomnia was determined with linear regression analyses and repeated measures ANOVA. Dominance analysis was used to investigate the relative impact the predictor variables had on insomnia.
Results: Client perpetrated violence and colleague perpetrated bullying were associated with increased levels of insomnia over time. Exposure to bullying was established as the most prominent predictor. Client perpetrated violence, cyber harassment, and colleague perpetrated bullying represent unique and distinct constructs. Child welfare workers mainly report exposure to one form of mistreatment rather than a combination of different types.
Conclusions: Client perpetrated violence and colleague perpetrated bullying were established as risk factors for insomnia among child welfare workers. Employers and human resource personnel should prioritize developing effective primary, secondary, and tertiary strategies to prevent and handle these hazards and thereby reduce the risk of insomnia among workers.