The effect of psychological violence in the workplace on health: a holistic eco-system approach

Abstract

Background: Psychological violence has emerged as a priority concern in all workplaces because of its adverse consequences on victims' health. So far, limited research has been conducted on the effect of psychological violence on the five interrelated contexts of human existence. Objectives: This qualitative study investigated the perceived effect of psychological violence in the workplace on staff members' holistic health at a multi-campus South African Further Education and Training College. By investigating the effect of psychological violence on these five interrelated contexts, the resultant effect on holistic health might be more fully understood and applicable recommendations formulated to ameliorate the perceived effects. Method: A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research design was used to investigate the perceived effect of psychological violence on staff members' health. Purposeful sampling was used to select 29 participants to be interviewed individually, based on their experiences of psychological violence, as well as data saturation. The researcher analysed the data and a co-coder cross-checked the codes. Results: The results pertaining to the perceived effects of psychological violence were positioned within the holistic eco-systemic approach as encompassing theory. Five themes were identified accordingly after data analysis, namely, psychological, biophysical, spiritual, ecological and metaphysical effects. Conclusion: Findings revealed that psychological violence impacts adversely on all five interrelated contexts of individual health, leading to an adverse cumulative effect on staff members' holistic health and on the systems in which psychological violence occurs. Based on the findings, recommendations could be made to ameliorate the perceived adverse effect of psychological violence. Opsomming Agtergrond: Psigologiese geweld is tans besig om op die voorgrond te tree as 'n prioriteit in alle werksplekke as gevolg van die ernstige nadelige gevolge daarvan op die gesondheid van slagoffers. Tot dusver is beperkte navorsing gedoen rakende die effek van psigologiese geweld op die vyf interverwante kontekste van menslike bestaan. Doelwitte: Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie het die waargenome effek van psigologiese geweld in die werksplek op die holistiese gesondheid van personeellede in ʼn multi-kampus Verdere Onderwys en Opleiding Kollege ondersoek. Deur die effek van psigologiese geweld op hierdie vyf interverwante kontekste te ondersoek, kon die gevolglike effek op holistiese gesondheid; meer volledig verstaan word en toepaslike aanbevelings geformuleer word om die waargenome effek te verbeter. Metode: 'n Kwalitatiewe, verkennende en beskrywende navorsingsontwerp is gebruik om die waargenome effek van psigologiese geweld op personeellede se gesondheid te ondersoek. 'n Doelgerigte steekproef is gebruik om 29 deelnemers te selekteer om indivuele onderhoude mee te voer, gebaseer op hul ervarings van psigologiese geweld, asook data versadiging. Die navorser het die data geanaliseer en 'n mede-kodeerder het die kodes kruis-kodeer. Resultate: Die resultate rakende die waargenome effek van psigologiese geweld was geposisioneer binne die holisties eko-sistemies benadering as omvattende teorie. Vyf temas is dienoorkeenkomstig na afloop van die data-anelisering geidentifiseer naamlik psigologiese, biofisiese, spirituele, ekologiese en metafiese effekte. Gevolgtrekking: Bevindings het aangetoon dat psigologiese geweld 'n negatiewe impak het of al vyf interverwante kontekste van individuele gesondheid wat lei tot 'n negatiewe kumulatiewe effek op personeellede se holistiese gesondheid in die sisteme waar psigologiese geweld plaasvind. Aanbevelings, gebaseer op die bevindinge, kon gemaak word om die nadelige effek van psigologiese geweld te verbeter.