Direct and Indirect Effects of Workplace Bullying on Psychotic Experiences Among Tunisian Workers: The Intermediate Role of Shame.

BACKGROUND: Although extensive research interest has been paid to the pathways between early experiences of school-age bullying and psychosis onset, knowledge about the effects of bullying victimization in adulthood and the workplace context remains surprisingly scarce. This study aimed to uncover how shame can serve as a mediator between workplace bullying and psychotic experiences (PEs) in a non-clinical population of Arabic-speaking workers from Tunisia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using a web-based approach was conducted during the period from August to December 2024 among Tunisian workers. RESULTS: Internal shame acted as a partial mediator between the two dimensions of workplace bullying and PEs. External shame fully explained the relationship between person-related bullying and PEs, whereas it only partially mediated the relationship between work-related bullying and PEs. Specifically, higher work- and person-related bullying was significantly associated with higher internal/external shame, and internal/external shame was significantly associated with greater PEs. Finally, higher work- and person-related bullying was directly associated with greater PEs. CONCLUSION: Our results shed light on the urgent need for the development of policy actions and organizational support systems to help create safe working environments and minimize the occurrence and negative consequences of bullying behaviours on workers.