TheNature,ExtentandImpactofEducatorTargetedBullyingonSchoolTeachersinWest Malaysia Authors:AngeliSantosandJiaJianTin Authors’affiliations: AngeliSantos:DivisionofPsychiatryandAppliedPsychology,SchoolofMedicine,University ofNottingham,Nottingham,UK JiaJianTin:DepartmentofAppliedPsychology, UniversityofNottinghamMalaysiaCampus, Semenyih, Malaysia Correspondingauthoranddetails: DrAngeliSantos,DivisionofPsychiatryandAppliedPsychology, School ofMedicine, UniversityofNottingham,YANG Fujia,JubileeCampus, WollatonRoad, NottinghamNG8 1BB,UK,email:[email protected] TheNature,ExtentandImpactofEducatorTargetedBullying onSchoolTeachers inWestMalaysia Abstract Thisstudyexaminesthenature,prevalenceandimpactofeducatortargetedbullying(ETB)inasampleof 575Malaysianschoolteachers.Specificallyitwaspredictedthatethnicitymayberelatedtoexposureto ETB;thatfrequencyofexposurewouldvarybytypeofETB;thattherewouldbetenure-related differencesintermsofexposureandburnout;andthatteachingexperiencecouldmoderatetheexposure- burnoutrelationship. ResultssuggestthatlesssevereformsofETBaremoreprevalentthanphysicalforms;andthateducators withincreasedteachingexperiencearelessexposedtoETB.ETBexhibitsanegativeimpactonburnout; andisstrongestforstudent-relatedburnout.IncreasedexperiencebufferstheETB-student-relatedburnout relationshipwhileethnicityisunrelatedtoexposuretoETB. Keywords:educatortargetedbullying(ETB),bullying,burnout,schools,teachers,educators. Introduction EducatorTargetedBullying(ETB) Overthepasttwentyyears,awealthofresearchonworkplacebullyinghas consistently demonstratedconsiderabledetrimentalimpacton employeehealthandwell-being. Whilethe prevalence,antecedentsand consequencesofworkplacebullyingbysuperiorsandcolleagues in schoolandeducationalsettingshavebeen reasonablywellinvestigated;thenatureandimpactof educatortargetedbullying(ETB) onhealthandwell-beingissubstantiallyless understood. Studies ofETB havepredominantlyexaminedtheproblemintermsoffrequency,type anddemographic-related prevalence(Chen &Astor,2009;De Wet,2010;Pervin&Turner, 1998); butnostudyhas examinedthepotentialconsequences ofETBoneducatorburnout. ThecontributionofthepresentstudytotheknowledgeofETBisthreefold. First,itseeks toexaminethenatureandprevalenceofETBinapopulationwhereETB hasnotbeenpreviously studied–thatofMalaysianeducators.Second,itseekstoaddress muchneededempirical researchontheimpactofETB oneducatorhealth andwell-being,specificallyexperienceof burnout. Third,itseekstoexaminetheroleofteachingexperienceandethnicitytotheexposure ofETB-burnoutrelationship. AlimitedbutgrowingnumberofstudieshaveshownthatETBis aserious issue worldwide. IntheUnitedStates(US)betweentheperiodof1992 and1996,theaverageannual rateofvictimisationfromETBwas 76incidentsper1000educators(Astor,Meyer,Benbenishty, Marachi, &Rosemond,2005). MorerecentresearchbyGregory,Cornell,and Fan(2012) reportedthat approximately84%ofeducatorsinthestateofVirginiaweresubjectto rude/disrespectfulbehaviourbystudents;while43%experiencedobscene remarksand gestures. Earlyresearchconducted intheUnitedKingdomreportedsimilarprevalencerates. A reportonan innerLondonschoolconductedbyPervinandTurner(1998),indicatedthatupto 91%ofeducators hadbeenexposedtoETB atsomepointintheirteachingcareer;withoverhalf reportingthattheyhadbeenvictimsoverthepastyear,and21%indicatingtheyhadsuffered fromETBearlyonintheirteachingcareer. AmorerecentstudybyDe Wet andJacobs (2006)inSouthAfricareportedETB prevalence rates in the region of 80%; while research conducted by Özkılıç (2012) in Turkey, reportedoverallETB prevalenceat41%.However,asmallnumberofstudies conductedinEast Asiareportedsignificantlylowerprevalencerates, althoughthismayinpartbedueto differences inthemethodological approachestakeninsuchstudies. AstudyinTaiwanbyChen andAstor(2009)whichexaminedstudents’reports ofbullyingindicatedthat30%ofstudents surveyedadmittedbeinginvolvedinatleastoneaggressiveactagainsttheirschoolteachersin thelast year. However,astudyusingMiddleand High Schoolteachersin Korea,byMoon and McCluskey(2014) reportedthatapproximatelyathirdofeducatorshadexperiencedsomeform ofETBinthelasttwo years. Thelimitednumberofstudiessuggests onepotentialproblemisthatmanyeducational institutionsperceiveETBas‘partofthejob’;andthereforedonotacknowledgeitas aproblem orprovidesufficientsupportforvictims. Althoughsometwodecadeshavepassedsincethe publicationofPervinand Turner’s (1998)reporthighlightingthefailureof schoolsto acknowledgetheexistenceofETB;andtheresultinglossofconfidenceexperiencedby educators;ETB continuestobelargelyignoredbybotheducatorsand managementalike. If recognised,theextentandseverityaregrosslyunderestimated. Nevertheless,researchersand academicsareinagreementthatadequateteachingandlearningsimplycannottakeplacewhen educators arebulliedbytheirstudents(Chen&Astor,2009;De Wet,2010; Moon & McCluskey,2014; Pervin&Turner,1998). DefinitionofETB Bullyingatworkistraditionallydefinedbyatripartitecriteriacharacterisedby: “(1) aggressivebehaviourwhichisdirectedtowards anotherpartythatisintentionalandmeantto causeharm; (2)carried outrepeatedlyovertime; and(3)aninterpersonalrelationship characterisedbytheimbalanceofpower”(Rigby,2004,p288). ETB differsfromtypical workplacebullyinginthatthepartyoflowerstatuswithintheorganisation(thestudent)inflicts thebullyingbehaviouronsomeoneofhigherstatus (theeducator). Thistypeofbullyinghas also beenreferredtoas upwardbullying, forexamplemanagersbulliedbytheiremployees. ForETB,thecriteriaconcerningtheimbalanceofthepowerrelationshipcannotbe appliedinthesamemanner. Instead,thepowerdifferentialisoverturned - thestudentachieves greaterpowerovertheeducator(Kauppi&Pörhölä,2012). Thisreversalofpower canoccurin severalways. Thestudentmayhavelittlerespectforelders orfigures ofauthority,orfeelthat theeducatorhasnotearnedtheirrespect,therebydeliberatelyviolatingcodesofbehaviour usuallyascribedtofiguresofauthority. Alternatively,thestudentmayenjoyasociallysuperior statusamongsthisorher peers,and convincethemtofollowtheirexampleinbullyinga particulareducator. Althoughsomemayfinditinconceivablethatachildcanbullyan adult, reportsofstudents attackingtheireducators (beit verbally,physicallyoremotionally) suggest otherwise. Forexample,intheUSbetweentheperiodof2003to2004,upto7%ofprimaryand secondaryschoolteachers reportedhavingbeenthreatenedwithphysicalinjury;with3% actuallyassaultedbystudents (BureauofJusticeStatistics,2006).Forthepurposesofthepresent studyETB referstoa rangeofaggressivebehaviours involvingthevictimisationofeducators by students (Moon &McCluskey,2014). ActsofETBmaybeverbal,non-verbal,physical,direct orindirect;alongacontinuumofseverity(adaptedfromDe Wet&Jacobs,2006). Misbehaviours anddisruptivebehavioursshouldnotbemisinterpretedas ETB,althoughthereis littledistinctionbetweenthetwo. Misbehaviours anddisruptivebehavioursareactionsthataim tointerfere anddistracttheflowoflearning; includingverbalabuseorphysicalaggression towardsaneducator, disturbingotherstudents, ortalkingoutofturn (Houghton, Wheldall,& Merrett,1988). Suchbehaviourhowever candevelopintoETB ifprolongedindurationandaimed at disempoweringeducators. Pervinand Turner(1998)furtherexplainthatwhentheaimofthese behaviours changesfrom simplydisruptinglessons tochallengingtheconfidenceofthe educator,suchbehaviour develops intoETB. ConsequencesofETB Victimsofworkplacebullyingexhibitarangeofnegativehealthconsequences.These includeincreasedloneliness,peer rejection,anxiety, depressionandloweredself-esteem(La Greca&Harrison,2005). Studieshavesuggested thatETB mayleadtoincreaseddistress amongeducators. InDeWet’s(2010)qualitativestudyinterviewees mentionedthatthe experienceofbeingbelittledanddisempoweredbystudents madethemfeelhelpless. In Pervin andTurner’s (1998)study, 15%ofeducatorswho experiencedETB exhibitedbothlowered career expectationsandlowered expectationsofstudentperformance. Approximately6%of educators alsoreportedhavinglefttheirworkplacebecauseofETB;suggestingapossiblelink betweenETB andstaffturnover. StudiesbyAstoretal.(2005)and De WetandJacobs(2010) reportsimilarconcernsbyeducators whoperceive ETB ashavinganegativeeffectonthe learningopportunitiesofotherstudentsandtheiroverallqualityofteaching, Others feltforced toleavetheprofessionduetofearfortheirpersonalsafety.. Insummary,althoughthesestudies haveshownthatETB couldhaveadetrimental impactonindividualhealthandwell-beingtoacertainextent,nostudyhas examinedthis relationshipinstatisticalterms. Thepresentstudythereforeattempts toaddressthis gapby assessingthe extenttowhichexposuretoETB canaffecteducatorburnout. BurnoutintheTeaching Profession Burnoutistypicallyviewedas‘astateofphysical, emotionaland mentalexhaustionthat resultsfromlong-terminvolvementinworksituations thatareemotionallydemanding.’ (Schaufeli&Greenglass,2001,p.501)Akeyfeatureofburnoutistheattributionof fatigueand exhaustiontospecificdomainsorspheresofaperson’slife(Kristensen,Borritz,Villadsen, & Christensen,2005).Burnoutis saidtobeparticularlyprominentinoccupationsinvolving interactionswithclients.Ithas importantdysfunctionalramifications,implyingsubstantialcosts tobothindividualsandorganisations. Theseincludethedeteriorationofmentalandphysical health, socialandfamilyrelationships, decreased jobperformance, absenteeism, andturnover (Maslach &Jackson,1986). Teachinghaslongbeenidentifiedasaparticularlystressfuloccupation(Jackson, Schwab,& Schuler,1986).Burnoutineducators maybeattributedtoarangeofdifferentfactors includingexcessivework,lackofsupport, lowsalaries, publiccriticismandstudentdisciplinary problems (Russell,Altmaier, &VanVelzen,1987). Educatorburnouthas beenshowntoaffect decreasedqualityofteaching;increased absenteeism(Cherniss,1980) and turnoverintentions (Jackson,Schwab,&Schuler,1986). ThepresentstudyutilizestheCopenhagenBurnoutInventory(CBI)(Kristensenetal., 2005)toassessburnout. TheCBIis a19-itemquestionnairemeasuringthreesub-dimensions of burnout:personal,client(student),andwork-related. Personalburnoutreferstothedegreeof physicalandpsychologicalfatigueand exhaustionexperiencedbyaperson,regardlessoftheir participationintheworkforce(i.e.agenericburnoutscale). Client-related burnoutreferstothe degreeofphysicalandpsychologicalfatigueexperiencedbypeoplewhoworkwithclients. Work-relatedburnoutreferstothedegreeofphysicalandpsychologicalfatiguerelatedtowork. TheCBIwaschosenoverotherburnoutinventoriesasitis importanttobeabletoidentifythe domainfrom whichsymptoms stemmed;andalso becauseitis apsychometricallyrobustand freelyavailableinstrument,utilisedonavarietyofwesternas wellas easternpopulations (Bagaajav, Myagmarjav, Nanjid,Otgon,&Chae, 2011; Klein,GrosseFrie,Blum,&vondem Knesebeck,2010;Lin &Lin,2013;andTsai &Chan,2011).Theseincludebotheducators (Milfont,Denny,Ameratunga,Robinson,&Merry,2008) and Malaysianhumanresources personnel(Santos, Mustafa,&Chern,2016). Theroleofteaching experienceinETBandburnout Agehas consistentlybeenshowntobenegativelycorrelatedwithburnout(Ackerley, Burnell,Holder,&Kurdek,1988). Whileageis closelylinkedwithworkexperienceandhigher pay;researchershaveadvisedthatthisrelationshipshouldbeviewedwith cautionduetosurvival bias-i.e.thosewhoburnoutearlyintheircareers tendtoleavetheprofession(Maslach, Schaufeli,& Leiter,2001). Thereforesurvivorstendtoexhibitlowerlevels ofburnout. It shouldbeemphasisedhoweverthatturnoveramongMalaysianeducatorsremains generallylow, aseducatorsareeffectivelytenuredcivilservants. Researchhasdocumentedhowexperienceinthe fieldcouldbothcontributetoan increaseinemotionalcompetenceandasignificantdecreaseinstress (Humpel &Caputi,2001). Studies byLucas,AtwoodandHagaman(1993)forexample,reportedthat more experienced nurses displayeddecreasedworkstress;whileDecker(1997),showedthatincreasedexperience wasnegativelyrelatedto burnout. Intheteachingprofession, Laub(1998)found younger educatorstobeat greater riskofburnoutthantheirmoresenior colleagues. Thepresentstudyseekstoanalysethisrelationshipfurtherattwolevels: first by exploringthepossibilityoftenure-relateddifferences inburnoutamonglessandmore experiencededucators; andsecond byexaminingtheimpactofteachingexperienceasa potentialmoderatorintheETB/burnoutrelationship. Theauthors arguethatexperienceinthefieldofteachingisakeyattributetocombating ETB. Researchsuggeststhatmoreexperienced employeesdisplayreducednegative psychologicalcharacteristics duetobothincreased rewardsanddesensitisationtostressors (Humpel&Caputi,2001). Itshouldthereforefollowthatthesesameemployeeswillhavehad ampleopportunitytodevelopeffectivestrategiestocopewithvariousstressorsintheworkplace. AstudybyIndik, Seashore,and Slesinger (1964) suggeststhattheprocess ofdeveloping appropriatecopingstrategies fordealingwithstressorsintheworkplacerequiresbothtimeand mastery. Aseducatorsaccumulateexperiencetheybecomemoreadeptat handlingdifficult student-teacherinteractions,andarelesslikelyto bedupedbystudenttacticsandpranks. For example,researchbyTschannen-MoranandHoy(2007)hasshownthatmoreexperienced educatorswerefoundto havehigherself-efficacybeliefs thannoviceeducators intheir instructionstrategiesand classroommanagement.As educators becomemoreattunedto students’needs;anddevelopanincreasedunderstandingoffeelingsandbehaviourtheyaremore likelytoshowempathytowardsstudents.Inturn, thesestudentsaremorelikelytotreattheir educatorswithrespect anddeference. This increased masteryoverstudent-teacherinteractionsthereforecomes withexperience andcouldactasabufferbetweentherelationshipexposuretobullyingand burnout. Thepresentstudy TheoreticalFramework Thestress-based modelofexposuretowork-relatedviolenceproposedbyCox and Leather(1994)provides ameansofconceptualisingandquantifyingtheeffectsofETBon educators.In accordancewiththemodel,exposuretodirectandindirectforms ofaggressionin theworkplace(rangingfromverbalabusetophysicalassaultandignoringdamagetoproperty), mayconstitutediscerniblesources ofstressresultinginstrainorharm,such as impairedwell- being,sub-optimalhealthandincreasedwithdrawalbehaviour(Santos, Leather,Dunn, &Zarola, 2009;Schat &Kelloway,2003;Steffgen,2008). Appliedtothepresentstudy,exposuretodifferentformsofETBthereforeactas psychosocialstressors foreducators,whichcould resultinstrainorharmin theformofpersonal, workandstudent-related burnout.AccordingtoCox andLeather(1994),thisstressor-strain relationshipcouldalsobeaffectedbyinterveningfactors such asdemographic,individual difference andsocialvariables;wherebysuchvariablesactas amoderatorormediatorbetween stressorandstrain. Inthepresentstudy,theroleoftenure(specificallythatofteaching