Personality Traits, Impostor Phenomenon, and Workplace Bullying: A Cross-Sectional Study on Hospital Nurses
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Although workplace bullying among nurses has long been recognized as a significant problem and solutions have been discussed, it still persists in nursing organizations. To gain a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon, personal as well as workplace-related factors should be considered, and individual characteristics such as personality traits should be examined as potential factors of influence. PURPOSE: This study was developed to investigate the influence of personality traits and the impostor phenomenon on workplace bullying among nurses in tertiary hospitals. METHODS: A cross-sectional research design was employed. Data were collected in December 2022 from 268 nurses working in tertiary hospitals in South Korea using an online survey. Personality traits, the impostor phenomenon, and workplace bullying were respectively assessed using the Big Five Inventory-short version, Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale, and Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify the significant factors of influence on workplace bullying. RESULTS: A multiple linear regression analysis revealed the neuroticism personality trait and the impostor phenomenon to significantly influence workplace bullying, with higher levels of both factors associated with a more severe experience of workplace bullying. CONCLUSION/IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE: Higher levels of neuroticism were found significantly associated with both impostor phenomenon severity and experience of workplace bullying. Preventing workplace bullying and mitigating victimization require awareness of neuroticism in nurses and intervention strategies able to mitigate both the impostor phenomenon and neuroticism. Workplace bullying prevention policies should direct nursing leadership and management to develop and implement educational and intervention programs to help hospital nurses recognize their own personality traits and address their maladaptive impostor phenomenon proactively.
Source: Journal of Nursing Research
Authors: Dongeun SUH, Sun Joo JANG
Institutions: Chung-Ang University, Seoul National University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4410117508