Workplace Bullying Scale – WBS
Measures the occurrence and frequency of bullying behaviors experienced by staff in the workplace.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Workplace Bullying Scale – WBS was developed by Lyn Quine (2001). It is designed to measure Workplace Bullying. The scale is intended for use with Working adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Threat to professional status, Threat to personal standing, Isolation, Overwork, Destabilization.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Threat to professional status | 1,2,3,4 | 4 |
| Threat to personal standing | 5,6,7,8,9,10,11 | 7 |
| Isolation | 12,13,14 | 3 |
| Overwork | 15,16 | 2 |
| Destabilization | 17,18,19,20 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point frequency scale (1 = Never to 5 = Always).
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 80. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low exposure to workplace bullying: 0 – 20
- Moderate exposure to workplace bullying: 21 – 50
- High exposure to workplace bullying: 51 – 80
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Subscale alphas range from .26 to .94.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.