11Bullying in the American workplace is not a new phenomenon. Much of the research has focused on speci fi c factors of workplace hostility such as sexual harassment (Dougherty & Smythe, 2004 ) , ethnicity, gender, and age discrimination (e.g., Schneider, Hitlan, & Radhakrishnan, 2000 ) . However, the effects of destructive interpersonal relationships in the workplace on an individual's health and well-being have frequently been ignored or understated. In this chapter, we present a developmental approach to bullying but focus primarily on workplace bullying among adults and the negative consequences that this type of victimization has on physical and mental health correlates. We begin by presenting a biopsychosocial model that explores how being bullied affects mental and physical health. We then examine the construct of bullying, review existing research on bullying in schools (e.g., during childhood and adolescence), and draw parallels between research on workplace bullying and school bullying to bolster the importance of studying bullying across multiple age groups and situations. Next, we explore potential factors that may in fl uence the link between being bullied in the workplace and mental and physical health. Finally, we consider the implications of research on workplace bullying.
Theoretical ModelThis chapter proposes an empirically based biopsychosocial stress model that considers being bullied as a chronic social stressor. This biopsychosocial model mirrors the general format of many biobehavioral investigations of health and illness (e.g