Willingness to report in military workplace violence scenarios: Initial findings from the Marine Corps on the impact of rank and relationship to the person of concern
Research Report:
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Low, E. C., Scalora, M. J., Bulling, D. J., DeKraai, M. B., & Siddoway, K. R. (2023). Willingness to report in military workplace violence scenarios: Initial findings from the Marine Corps on the impact of rank and relationship to the person of concern. Journal of Threat Assessment and Management. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/tam0000202
Abstract Created by REACH:
As part of a broader Department of Defense (DoD) initiative to prevent workplace violence, this study sought to understand Service members’ willingness to report concerning behavior potentially related to workplace violence. 652 Marines were asked to indicate whether they would report concerning behavior based on the person’s relationship to the Marine (i.e., family member, friend, stranger), employment status (i.e., contractor, civilian, another Marine), and relative rank (i.e., higher or lower than the respondent). Willingness to report based on these characteristics was then compared by respondent rank (i.e., junior enlisted, noncommissioned officers, commissioned officers). Marines were generally willing to report concerning behavior witnessed in the workplace. Junior enlisted Marines were typically more reluctant than officers to report concerning behavior involving a range of characteristics.
Focus:
Mental health
Other
Branch of Service:
Marine Corps
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Subject Affiliation:
Active duty service member
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Methodology:
Quantitative Study
Authors:
Low, Elizabeth C., Scalora, Mario J., Bulling, Denise J., DeKraai, Mark B., Siddoway, Kyle R.
Abstract:
Workplace violence affects millions within military workplaces every year and has far-reaching implications for productivity and morale. Acts of military workplace violence have spurred recommendations that the U.S. Department of Defense establish threat management units. The threat assessment literature indicates that individuals who commit targeted acts of violence typically engage in preincident behaviors that are observable to others. The decision by observers to report this information to violence prevention authorities is understudied in military samples. In this study, we surveyed U.S. Marines and assessed their willingness to report concerning behavior exhibited by different types of persons of concern (POCs). Findings indicate that service members would report POCs they encountered in the workplace at high rates. However, willingness to report POCs who were close friends or family members was endorsed at lower rates. Low-ranking service members were less likely to report most POCs compared to those of mid and high ranks. Willingness to report POCs from the workplace and POCs who were strangers most strongly discriminated between mid- and high-ranking participants and low-ranking participants. These findings indicate that POC status impacts service members’ decisions to report concerning behavior in hypothetical scenarios and suggest that different reporting mechanisms may be appropriate for service members of different ranks. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Keywords:
military, Marine Personnel, threat assessment, Abuse Reporting, reporting, workplace violence
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary
REACH Newsletter: