Date of Conferral

2016

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Services

Advisor

Cheryl Cullen

Abstract

Workplace aggression incidents are increasing and, thus, becoming more difficult to address in the United States. Health care workers in particular are at an increased risk of burnout compared to individuals working in other occupations. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate the propensity for workplace aggression among health care professionals and the association between job satisfaction and the propensity for workplace aggression. The conservation of resources theory was used to frame the study. The Work Environment Scale and the Conditional Reasoning Test of Aggression were used to collect data from 89 mental health clinicians, nurses, and technicians employed at 2 metro Atlanta hospitals. Findings indicated no correlation between workplace aggression and job satisfaction among mental health workers. Findings also indicated no higher propensity for workplace aggression among frontline workers (nurses and technicians) than among other mental health workers. However, findings revealed that employees with more years of service had a higher propensity for workplace aggression. Implications for social change include enhancing the capacity of mental health workers to handle the emotional and physical demands of the job.

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