Experiences With and Perceptions of Workplace Bullying Among Athletic Trainers in the Secondary School Setting.

Context: Workplace bullying (WPB) has recently received much attention in society. Research on WPB in athletic training practice settings is limited.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of WPB in the secondary school setting and explore the factors related to it.

Design: Mixed-methods study.

Setting: Secondary school.

Patients Or Other Participants: A total of 567 athletic trainers (women = 322 [56.8%], men = 245 [43.2%]), aged 36.5 ± 11.1 years with 11.9 ± 9.5 years of experience took part in phase I. Ten participants (7 women and 3 men), aged 39.3 ± 10.1 years with 14.3 ± 8.3 years of experience, took part in phase II.

Data Collection And Analysis: For the online survey, we used the previously validated and reliable (Cronbach α = .84) Athletic Training Workplace Environment Survey, which included the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised. The prevalence of WPB was measured with descriptive statistics, and χ analyses were used to compare differences between groups (ie, females and males, perpetrators' titles). The interview data were examined using an inductive content analysis.

Results: Of the participants, 44 (7.8%) were empirically identified as targets of bullying, though a higher percentage (12.4%, n = 70) self-identified as bullying targets. Men and women did not differ with respect to having experienced WPB, but more perpetrators were male (71.6%, n = 48) than female (28.4%, n = 19; χ = 12.55, P = <.001). We also observed a difference in perpetrators' titles, with the vast majority of bullies being coaches or administrators (χ = 33.82, P = <.001). Lack of administrator support and discrimination were antecedents of bullying. Stress, depression, and sleep disturbances were reported consequences. Participants coped with bullying by avoidance and role refocusing.

Conclusions: Bullying was experienced by a small percentage of athletic trainers in the secondary school setting, a contrast to the findings in the collegiate practice setting.