A methodological review of research on the antecedents and consequences of workplace harassment

Workplace harassment is a well-researched topic, especially in regard to the antecedents and consequences of the phenomenon. A number of criticisms of this body of research have been raised that influence our understanding of harassment, its causes, and effects. Accordingly, this methodological review was conducted to identify current methodological gaps and propose new strategies for advancing knowledge on harassment at work. A total of 234 samples, from 224 peer-reviewed articles published over a 26-year period (1987-2012 inclusive), which focused on the antecedents, consequences, or process of diverse forms of workplace harassment (e.g., bullying, abusive supervision, mobbing, and victimization), were systematically analysed for methodological content. Our analysis focused on identifying threats to construct, internal, external, and statistical conclusion validity, covering issues such as sample characteristics, research design, measurement, methods of data collection, and techniques to analyse data. Findings on the nature and extent of existing methodological limitations underpin suggestions to advance theory development in this area by improving study validity. These include adopting longitudinal and experimental designs, utilizing within-person approaches, incorporating the perspectives of witnesses and perpetrators of harassment, developing combined group/organizational and individual levels of analysis, and focusing on the dynamic processes of workplace harassment.