| Mobbing is a term used to describe psychologically abusive work behavior not specified under protected groups based on gender, religion, ethnicity, age, or disability. Past research has found mobbing harmful and that it is present in human service organizations where burnout is experienced. However, there remains a gap in the literature examining whether there is a link between mobbing and burnout in an educational setting and the potential moderating effect of gender on this relationship. The present study utilized a correlational, quantitative design to investigate hypotheses about mobbing behaviors, the relationship between mobbing and burnout, and gender differences in these experiences in a sample of union workers employed in urban public schools. The Work Harassment Scale (WHS) and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) were completed by 129 workers. Hypotheses were tested using a combination of MANOVAs, Chi Squares, and regression analyses. The significant relationships between burnout and gender and mobbing levels and gender were not found, however, the hypothesized relationship between mobbing and burnout was obtained. Mobbing subscales predicted 25% or more of the variance in burnout subscales, indicating that for both males and females, mobbing is predictive of job burnout for this sample. Given these findings, recommended actions include developing strategies of intervention and prevention such as victim assistance and zero-tolerance policies in educational settings. Their implementation could promote positive social change through increasing awareness of mobbing, broadening protection for workers, and increasing well-being of workers, and, in so doing, improving the quality of U.S. primary and secondary education. |
