Dawn Weston
October 1, 2023
CYSE 201S_22131
Article Review #1
I reviewed the article entitled ‘Cyberbullying and Psychological Stress among Female Employees.” The topic relates to the principles of the social sciences by addressing a specific group of people (Sociology) and researching how they feel and react to this particular topic (Psychology).
This article aimed to see if there was a positive or negative effect on cyberbullying in the workplace for females specifically in Saudi Arabia, where there had previously been a lack of research. Their listed hypotheses included:
- Workplace cyber bullying negatively influences the organizational commitment of female employees.
- Workplace cyberbullying is positively associated with psychological stress of female employees.
- Workplace cyberbullying negatively influences perceived interactional justice of female employees
- Perceived interactional justice is associated with job satisfaction.
- Perceived interactional justice mediates the relationship between workplace cyberbullying and job satisfaction.
The research methods used were pre-existing, previously validated, questionnaires, from 2016, filled out by women from Saudi Arabia across various companies that previously had not been researched. The women were asked questions related to: workplace cyberbullying, perceived interactional injustice, job satisfaction, psychological stress, and organization commitment. They then analyzed the answers to this survey using scaling tools. There were many different tools and scales that were used to determine evaluate this data such as: Scales: For the variables of perceived interactional justice was derived from the research conducted by Beugre and Baron (2001). The measurement of psychological stress was conducted by modifying the instrument developed by Banksetal (1980). The measurement of organizational commitment was conducted by modifying the instrument utilized in the research conducted by Mowday et al(1979). The measurement of job satisfaction was conducted by employing the instrument developed by Warr, Cook, and Wall (1979). And the variables were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. The Tables for analysis were generated using Statistical package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and the hypothesis testing was conducted utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM).
Women in Saudi Arabia are already a marginalized group of people. There have historically been stricter rules that they’ve had to abide by over their male counterparts, such as not being allowed to travel or get an education without the approval of a man. Therefore women existing in the workplace in Saudi Arabia makes them a smaller and even more marginalized group.
The findings of the study proved their hypotheses: that cyberbullying has a negative effect on female employees. It affects their mental health, leading to stress and anxiety. It affects their physical safety: they feel physically unsafe. It affects their workplace performance: it has a negative effect on their daily work tasks and gives them a decline in performance. And ultimately they do not want to work at an organization that does not protect them.
Reference:
https://cybercrimejournal.com/menuscript/index.php/cybercrimejournal/article/view/161/61