Workplace violence directed at student nurses in training in psychiatric institutions is a significant concern as it negatively affects the quality of learning and causes the students to have a negative perception of nursing as a profession. The absence of scientific data describing the perceptions of student nurses about workplace violence and their clinical learning outcome motivated the researcher to conduct the study. Quantitative, descriptive research was conducted to explore the influence that workplace violence will have on clinical learning outcomes of student nurses who are studying psychiatric nursing at psychiatric institutions in KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa. Data was gathered using a 71 question questionnaire, which was adapted from the one used by Hewett (2010). With the necessary permission from the health authorities, the campus principals and the nursing students, a group of 4th year student nurses (n=163) from 6 campuses of the KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing (KZNCN) who have worked in psychiatric units for at least 3 months and longer participated in the study. The study highlighted the types of workplace violence encountered by student nurses, the effects of workplace violence on students’ academic performance and the barriers to the reporting of workplace violence encountered by the student nurses. The study revealed that there is a large amount of non-physical, some physical and a few incidents of sexual violence directed towards the student nurses at the psychiatric institutions, and that it has a negative impact on student learning. The recommendations emanating from the study support the idea of a shared responsibility between healthcare and education institutions and the focus is on preparing and equipping the student psychiatric nurses to confront, withstand and break the cycle of workplace violence. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

L'exposition à la violence au travail peut avoir des conséquences professionnelles négatives pour les travailleurs en protection de la jeunesse. Bien que des études antérieures aient identifié des facteurs de protection et de risque en lien avec cet enjeu, les différences individuelles liées aux rôles de genre restent encore à être explorées. Allant au-delà du sexe, ce mémoire vise à examiner comment les rôles de genre influencent l'exposition à la violence au travail, la qualité de vie professionnelle et le bien-être au travail chez les travailleurs en protection de la jeunesse. Un échantillon randomisé stratifié par sexe de 301 travailleurs en protection de la jeunesse canadiens (hommes: 15,6%, femmes: 84,4%) a été recruté afin que les participants remplissent des questionnaires validés portant sur l’exposition à la violence au travail, les rôles de genre, la qualité de vie professionnelle et le bien-être au travail. Les différences de moyennes pour l’exposition à la violence au travail, la qualité de vie professionnelle et le bien-être au travail selon le rôle de genre ont ensuite été évalué à l’aide d’ANCOVA en contrôlant pour l'expérience clinique et le type de travail. L'effet modérateur des rôles de genre sur les autres variables a été évalué par le biais de régressions linéaires multiples hiérarchiques. L'androgynie (masculinité élevée et féminité élevée) était associée à des scores plus élevés sur les indicateurs positifs de la qualité de vie professionnelle et du bien-être au travail. Cependant, les rôles de genre n'ont montré aucun effet modérateur significatif sur la relation entre l'exposition à la violence et les indicateurs de bien-être psychologique au travail. Les résultats montrent comment les analyses comparatives entre les genres peuvent fournir davantage d’information sur les mécanismes entourant la qualité de vie professionnelle et le bien-être au travail. Ils suggèrent également que l'androgynie pourrait être liée à des avantages psychosociaux potentiels pour les travailleurs en protection de la jeunesse. / Exposure to workplace violence puts child protection workers at risk for adverse occupational outcomes. While previous studies have identified protective and risk factors, individual differences in gender roles have yet to be explored. Moving beyond sex, the present thesis aims to examine the ways in which gender roles influence exposure to workplace violence, professional quality of life and wellbeing at work among child protection workers. A randomised sample stratified by sex of 301 Canadian child protection workers (Male: 15.6%, Female: 84.4%) completed validated questionnaires of exposure to workplace violence, gender roles, professional quality of life, and wellbeing at work. Mean differences in workplace violence, professional quality of life, and wellbeing at work according to gender role were then assessed using ANCOVAs controlling for clinical experience and type of work. The moderating effect of gender roles on other variables was assessed through hierarchical multiple linear regressions. Androgyny (high masculinity and high femininity) was associated with higher scores on positive indicators of professional quality of life and wellbeing at work. However, gender roles showed no significant moderating effect on the relationship between exposure to violence and indicators of psychological wellbeing at work. Results show how gender-based analyses can provide additional insights into the dynamics surrounding professional quality of life and wellbeing at work. They also suggest that androgyny could be related to potential psychosocial benefits for child protection workers.

Dans le cadre de leur mandat, les intervenants en protection de la jeunesse sont exposés à de nombreux risques professionnels. Au nombre de ces risques figurent les agressions psychologiques et physiques commises par les usagers. En effet, étant donné que de nombreuses familles interprètent l’engagement de ces intervenants dans leur vie comme une intrusion, ces derniers doivent fréquemment composer avec des situations tendues, ce qui augmente le risque de subir une agression. À long terme, ces interactions exigeantes minent la santé et le bien-être des intervenants. L’objectif général de cette thèse est d’éclaircir la façon dont les intervenants s’adaptent aux conséquences des agressions commises par leurs usagers dans le cadre de leur travail. Cette thèse s’ouvre sur une recension détaillée des écrits scientifiques actuels sur le sujet. Suivent trois articles scientifiques présentant des informations indispensables au sujet des expériences des intervenants. Le premier article de cette thèse, une analyse thématique transversale portant sur les expériences de 30 intervenants, donne un aperçu du sujet à l’étude en décrivant les types d’agressions que vivent les intervenants, leurs perceptions de ce problème et les modes d’adaptation qu’ils adoptent au travail. Plus précisément, ce chapitre démontre comment les agressions commises par les usagers constituent une préoccupation constante pour les intervenants, qu’ils travaillent aux domiciles des usagers ou dans des centres résidentiels. L’article explique que les intervenants recourent à divers modes efficaces pour s’adapter à court et long terme, comme le travail en équipe et le soutien du superviseur. Cependant, pour continuer à remplir leur mandat, ils recourent aussi parfois à des modes d’adaptation nuisibles, tels que le déni et la minimisation. L’auteure révèle que les efforts que déploient les intervenants pour se sentir en sécurité face à des actes d’agression récurrents constituent une lutte constante pour ces derniers, qui font souvent état de niveaux élevés de détresse et de faibles niveaux de soutien au travail. Les résultats présentés dans le premier chapitre indiquent que la détresse des intervenants les amène parfois à mal gérer des situations tendues. En conséquence, le deuxième chapitre vise principalement à étudier sous un angle dynamique la relation entre la détresse émotionnelle des intervenants et leur revictimisation. À l’aide d’une analyse faisant appel à des modèles autorégressifs croisés, ce chapitre révèle un lien entre la détresse émotionnelle que signalent 173 intervenants à la suite d’un événement potentiellement traumatisant au travail et des taux plus élevés de revictimisation chez les intervenants deux mois plus tard, mais pas six ou douze mois plus tard. Cela fait penser que les intervenants sont particulièrement vulnérables aux agressions récurrentes lorsqu’ils viennent de vivre un événement marquant au travail. Bien que cet article démontre qu’il y a une corrélation entre le soutien du superviseur et des niveaux inférieurs de détresse émotionnelle à la suite d’un événement potentiellement traumatisant, cette variable ne modère pas la relation entre la détresse émotionnelle et la revictimisation. Ce constat révèle que l’influence du soutien du superviseur est plus complexe que ce qu’ont précédemment décrit d’autres auteurs. Les résultats tirés du deuxième article ont motivé une analyse approfondie des expériences des intervenants qui se tournent vers leur superviseur pour être soutenus après avoir subi un acte d’agression commis par un usager. Ce dernier article comprend une analyse longitudinale qualitative des réalités vécues par 30 intervenants qui ont récemment subi une agression commise par un usager. Les résultats de cette analyse révèlent que la qualité de la relation superviseur/intervenant influe grandement sur l’approche que les intervenants adoptent pour composer avec leur détresse ainsi que sur la manière dont ils recherchent et perçoivent le soutien de leur superviseur. En effet, lorsque les intervenants perçoivent une relation de confiance avec leur superviseur, ils expriment leurs émotions plus librement et sont plus ouverts à inclure leur superviseur dans leur adaptation, ce qui mène à des résultats plus favorables (p. ex., atténuation de la détresse émotionnelle, croissance professionnelle). En revanche, lorsque la qualité de la relation est perçue comme médiocre, les intervenants se créent peu d’attentes et choisissent de gérer leur détresse eux-mêmes, ce qui se traduit parfois par l’utilisation de modes d’adaptation associés à une plus grande détresse émotionnelle, comme la minimisation, l’isolement ou le déni. La thèse se conclut sur une discussion de la manière dont la disponibilité et la qualité des ressources individuelles et organisationnelles, telles que le soutien des superviseurs, influent grandement sur l’adaptation des intervenants lorsque ces derniers sont confrontés aux agressions commises par leurs usagers. En effet, il est possible que des intervenants ne puissent pas compter sur leurs supérieurs en cas de besoin, soit en raison de la mauvaise qualité de leur relation, soit en raison d’autres facteurs, comme les contraintes de temps à cause d’une charge de travail excessive. Cela exerce une pression supplémentaire sur ces intervenants, qui doivent trouver d’autres modes d’adaptation pour gérer seuls leur détresse. Ceci conduit parfois à l’utilisation plus fréquente de modes d’adaptation qui menacent leur bien-être à long terme. À l’aide de la théorie des ressources et exigences liées à l’emploi (Demerouti et coll., 2001), cette thèse révèle que le contexte organisationnel limite et influence la manière dont les intervenants choisissent de s’adapter. En effet, l’adaptation ne dépend pas seulement de l’apport de l’intervenant ou de son superviseur, mais aussi des ressources rendues disponibles par leur employeur. Malheureusement, cette thèse décrit aussi à quel point ces ressources organisationnelles sont souvent insuffisantes pour permettre aux intervenants de gérer les conséquences des agressions qu’ils vivent ainsi que d’autres aspects négatifs de leur emploi. Considérant cela, cette thèse fait plusieurs suggestions qui pourraient aider les établissements à soutenir leurs intervenants en supprimant les contraintes qui favorisent l’adoption de modes d’adaptation inefficaces et en augmentant la disponibilité et la qualité des ressources qui favorisent des stratégies d’adaptation plus efficaces. / While performing their mandate, child protection workers (CPWs) are exposed to numerous occupational hazards. One such hazard is the psychological abuse and physical hostility directed at them by service users. Since many families view a CPW’s involvement in their lives as an unwelcome intrusion, CPWs frequently find themselves needing to de-escalate tense situations, some of which devolve into abusive acts. Over time, these emotionally charged encounters can interfere with CPW health and wellbeing. This thesis aims to further our current understanding of how CPWs cope in the aftermath of abusive acts perpetrated upon them by service users in the work setting. The thesis project opens with a comprehensive overview of the current scientific literature on the topic, followed by three scientific articles—two qualitative and one quantitative—that contribute much-needed information on the experience of at-risk CPWs. The first thesis article—a thematic analysis of 30 CPWs’ experiences—then provides an overview of the abusive acts that are directed at CPWs in the workplace. Specifically, it describes the various forms of hostility or abuse the CPWs experience, along with their subjective perception of it and the coping strategies they employ. This first article highlights more specifically how service-user hostility is a constant concern for CPWs, whether they practice in the community or in residential treatment centers. CPWs draw upon a variety of positive coping methods as adjustment strategies, such as teamwork and supervisor support; and sometimes employ harmful coping strategies, such as denial and minimization, in order to keep fulfilling their mandate. The author reveals that feeling “safe” whilst being confronted with repeated acts of aggression proves a constant struggle for CPWs, who often report high levels of distress and few sources of organizational support. Findings from the first article suggest that CPW distress sometimes leads to their mishandling tense situations. In consideration of this, the main objective of the second article was to study the interrelationship between emotional distress and revictimization. Using cross-lagged panel analysis, this second article reveals that the emotional distress reported by 173 CPWs subsequent to a potentially traumatic workplace event can in fact be linked to higher rates of revictimization when dealing with service users up to two months later, but not six or twelve months later. This suggests that CPWs are particularly at risk of hostile acts recurring after a recent distressing event in their work setting. Although supervisor support can be correlated with lower levels of emotional distress after a potentially traumatic event, this variable does not moderate the relationship between emotional distress and revictimization, suggesting that its influence is more complex than previously described. Mixed results from the second article motivated a more thorough analysis of the CPWs who seek support from their supervisors after having suffered an abusive encounter with a service user. The last article consists of a qualitative longitudinal study of the lived realities of 30 CPWs who had recently been subjected to an act of aggression. Findings reveal that the quality of the supervisor/CPW relationship greatly influences how CPWs manage their distress and how they seek out and perceive support from their supervisors. Indeed, when CPWs have a strong and open relationship with their supervisors, they express emotions more freely and are more open to involving their supervisors in their adjustment efforts which, in turn, leads to more favorable outcomes (e.g., less emotional distress, greater professional growth, meaning-making). To the contrary, when the supervisor/CPW relationship is perceived as poor, CPWs have low expectations and choose to manage the distress on their own—which sometimes translates into their opting for strategies which may lead to greater emotional distress over time, such as minimization or denial. The thesis closes with a discussion on how the availability and quality of personal and organizational resources—such as supervisor support—greatly influence the adjustment capacity of CPWs when facing abusive encounters with service users. In fact, CPWs may not be able to rely on their supervisors when in need, either due to the poor quality of the relationship or due to other factors such as time constraints resulting from excessive workloads. This places additional pressure on CPWs who must find alternative strategies to manage distress on their own—which sometimes means more frequent recourse to ineffective coping strategies. Using Job Demands and Resources Theory (Demerouti et al., 2001), this thesis concludes by explaining how the organizational context can constrain and shape the way CPWs choose to adapt. Indeed, adaptation does not solely depend on workers or their supervisors, but also on the resources made available by their employer. Unfortunately, this thesis also describes how organisational resources are often insufficient to counteract the effects of job demands, such as repeated aggression. Still, this thesis recommends several avenues that could help organizations to provide CPWs with more effective support by eliminating some constraints that promote ineffective coping strategies and by increasing both the availability and the quality of resources that encourage the adoption of more effective coping strategies.

Ce mémoire a pour objectif d’étudier la relation entre la culture organisationnelle et la violence au travail. Plus spécifiquement, les résultats permettent de déterminer comment la perception des cultures organisationnelles de type groupal, développemental, hiérarchique et rationnel de l’approche des valeurs concurrentes de Cameron et Quinn (1999) s’associent aux conflits interpersonnels et au harcèlement physique et sexuel dans les organisations. Les données proviennent de l’Étude SALVEO, menée par l’Équipe de recherche sur le travail et la santé mentale de l’Université de Montréal. À notre connaissance, aucune étude n’a étudié les perceptions des cultures organisationnelles globales des entreprises. Les études antérieures se sont intéressées à certains traits spécifiques des cultures, telles que l’acceptation, la tolérance et la banalisation de la violence, sans considérer intégralement la culture organisationnelle. Il est possible d’utiliser le modèle de Cameron et Quinn (1999) avec l’échelle de Marchand, Haines et Dextras-Gauthier (2013) pour mesurer la perception que les travailleurs se font de leur culture organisationnelle pour pouvoir les associer avec les niveaux de conflits interpersonnels et de harcèlement physique et sexuel par la suite. Les analyses multiniveaux de cette recherche ont révélé que la culture groupale s’associe à des niveaux plus bas de conflits interpersonnels et la culture développementale à des niveaux plus élevés. Bien que les résultats ne soient pas significatifs pour tous les types de culture organisationnelle, les entreprises qui adoptent des caractéristiques de la culture groupale, telles que le soutien social, la participation des travailleurs et la justice organisationnelle, semblent mieux prévenir le phénomène de la violence au travail. D’autre part, l’intégration d’un grand nombre de variables contrôles a permis de déterminer que les facteurs individuels et organisationnels les plus associés à la violence sont : le fait d’être une femme, d’être jeune, d’être syndiqué, l’effort au travail et l’injustice organisationnelle. / This master’s thesis aims to study the relation between the organizational culture and workplace violence. More specifically, the results allow us to determine how the organizational culture of groupal, developmental, hierarchical and rational type of the competing values framework of Cameron and Quinn (1999) joins the interpersonal conflicts and physical or sexual harassment in organizations. The data results come from the SALVEO surveys led by the research team on work and mental health of University of Montreal (ERTSM). Most studies were interested in some specific features of culture, such as the acceptance and tolerance of violence without considering the organizational culture. It is possible to use the model of Cameron and Quinn (1999) with the Marchand, Haines and Dextras-Gauthier scale (2013) to calculate the perception that the workers have of their organizational culture to be able to measure them with the levels of interpersonal conflicts and physical or sexual harassment afterward. Multilevel analyses revealed that the perception of the groupal culture shows lower levels of interpersonal conflicts and the developmental culture, higher levels. Although the results are not significant for all types of organizational culture, companies which adopt the characteristics of the groupal culture, such as social support, workers participation and organizational justice, seem to better prevent the phenomenon of workplace violence. Moreover, the integration of a large number of control variables allows us to determine that the individual and organizational factors that are most associated with violence are : being a woman, being young, being a member of a union, having a work overload and the presence of organizational injustice.

Ce mémoire a pour objectif d’étudier la relation entre la culture organisationnelle et la violence au travail. Plus spécifiquement, les résultats permettent de déterminer comment la perception des cultures organisationnelles de type groupal, développemental, hiérarchique et rationnel de l’approche des valeurs concurrentes de Cameron et Quinn (1999) s’associent aux conflits interpersonnels et au harcèlement physique et sexuel dans les organisations. Les données proviennent de l’Étude SALVEO, menée par l’Équipe de recherche sur le travail et la santé mentale de l’Université de Montréal. À notre connaissance, aucune étude n’a étudié les perceptions des cultures organisationnelles globales des entreprises. Les études antérieures se sont intéressées à certains traits spécifiques des cultures, telles que l’acceptation, la tolérance et la banalisation de la violence, sans considérer intégralement la culture organisationnelle. Il est possible d’utiliser le modèle de Cameron et Quinn (1999) avec l’échelle de Marchand, Haines et Dextras-Gauthier (2013) pour mesurer la perception que les travailleurs se font de leur culture organisationnelle pour pouvoir les associer avec les niveaux de conflits interpersonnels et de harcèlement physique et sexuel par la suite. Les analyses multiniveaux de cette recherche ont révélé que la culture groupale s’associe à des niveaux plus bas de conflits interpersonnels et la culture développementale à des niveaux plus élevés. Bien que les résultats ne soient pas significatifs pour tous les types de culture organisationnelle, les entreprises qui adoptent des caractéristiques de la culture groupale, telles que le soutien social, la participation des travailleurs et la justice organisationnelle, semblent mieux prévenir le phénomène de la violence au travail. D’autre part, l’intégration d’un grand nombre de variables contrôles a permis de déterminer que les facteurs individuels et organisationnels les plus associés à la violence sont : le fait d’être une femme, d’être jeune, d’être syndiqué, l’effort au travail et l’injustice organisationnelle. / This master’s thesis aims to study the relation between the organizational culture and workplace violence. More specifically, the results allow us to determine how the organizational culture of groupal, developmental, hierarchical and rational type of the competing values framework of Cameron and Quinn (1999) joins the interpersonal conflicts and physical or sexual harassment in organizations. The data results come from the SALVEO surveys led by the research team on work and mental health of University of Montreal (ERTSM). Most studies were interested in some specific features of culture, such as the acceptance and tolerance of violence without considering the organizational culture. It is possible to use the model of Cameron and Quinn (1999) with the Marchand, Haines and Dextras-Gauthier scale (2013) to calculate the perception that the workers have of their organizational culture to be able to measure them with the levels of interpersonal conflicts and physical or sexual harassment afterward. Multilevel analyses revealed that the perception of the groupal culture shows lower levels of interpersonal conflicts and the developmental culture, higher levels. Although the results are not significant for all types of organizational culture, companies which adopt the characteristics of the groupal culture, such as social support, workers participation and organizational justice, seem to better prevent the phenomenon of workplace violence. Moreover, the integration of a large number of control variables allows us to determine that the individual and organizational factors that are most associated with violence are : being a woman, being young, being a member of a union, having a work overload and the presence of organizational injustice.

The purpose of this study is to examine teachers’ experiences of power relations as psychological violence and the impact it has on their health. This study, using a qualitative approach, thus investigates the association between power relations and the dimensions thereof and how it manifests as psychological violence. In turn, it may have detrimental effects on the health of the teacher and the whole teaching-learning process. Based on the findings, recommendations for this - and future research - are proposed. Open-ended phenomenological interviews were used to collecct the qaulitative data. Eleven participants indicated their willingness to be individually interviewed for the study. The qualitative findings indicated that teachers experience power relations as psychological violence, it is experienced severely and emanates mostly from colleagues in management positions. The most prevalent and severe forms of power relations as psychological violence as experienced by teachers include being subjected to power abuse from principals; being subjected to autocratic management styles and management’s power abuse through the abdication of responsibility. The most severe physical health consequenses as experienced by teachers include feeling tired and experiencing physical ill health. It further emerged that the most severe phychological health consequenses were experienced in the form of feelings of helplessness and feeling emotional or wanting to cry. Teachers’ lack of work productivity and motivation were the most severe behavioural consequense because of the experience of power abuse as psychological violence. Teachers’ personal and family relations and teachers withdrawing socially were the most evident social consequense due to negative experiences. The findings from the study indicated that teachers experience power relations as psychological violence in various forms and that it is highly prevalent. The research results have shown that teachers identified many dimensions of power relations, such as management styles, the perception or experience of someone’s power or “weak point”, possessing no power or status, female teachers being treated in a subordinate manner and racial or cultural differences of others as a contributer to abuse power in relationships at school. This study contributes towards the power relations and psychological violence literature in general and in particular, teachers’ experiences in South Africa. In the light of the findings the study recommends that teacher support programmes should be put in place in order to address the experience of power relations as psychological violence. It further recommends that teachers and students studying to become teachers should be provided with information about power relations as psychological violence to create awareness. / Thesis (MEd (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

The purpose of this study is to examine teachers’ experiences of power relations as psychological violence and the impact it has on their health. This study, using a qualitative approach, thus investigates the association between power relations and the dimensions thereof and how it manifests as psychological violence. In turn, it may have detrimental effects on the health of the teacher and the whole teaching-learning process. Based on the findings, recommendations for this - and future research - are proposed. Open-ended phenomenological interviews were used to collecct the qaulitative data. Eleven participants indicated their willingness to be individually interviewed for the study. The qualitative findings indicated that teachers experience power relations as psychological violence, it is experienced severely and emanates mostly from colleagues in management positions. The most prevalent and severe forms of power relations as psychological violence as experienced by teachers include being subjected to power abuse from principals; being subjected to autocratic management styles and management’s power abuse through the abdication of responsibility. The most severe physical health consequenses as experienced by teachers include feeling tired and experiencing physical ill health. It further emerged that the most severe phychological health consequenses were experienced in the form of feelings of helplessness and feeling emotional or wanting to cry. Teachers’ lack of work productivity and motivation were the most severe behavioural consequense because of the experience of power abuse as psychological violence. Teachers’ personal and family relations and teachers withdrawing socially were the most evident social consequense due to negative experiences. The findings from the study indicated that teachers experience power relations as psychological violence in various forms and that it is highly prevalent. The research results have shown that teachers identified many dimensions of power relations, such as management styles, the perception or experience of someone’s power or “weak point”, possessing no power or status, female teachers being treated in a subordinate manner and racial or cultural differences of others as a contributer to abuse power in relationships at school. This study contributes towards the power relations and psychological violence literature in general and in particular, teachers’ experiences in South Africa. In the light of the findings the study recommends that teacher support programmes should be put in place in order to address the experience of power relations as psychological violence. It further recommends that teachers and students studying to become teachers should be provided with information about power relations as psychological violence to create awareness. / Thesis (MEd (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013