Workplace bullying and the association with suicidal ideation/thoughts and behaviour: A systematic review Liana S Leach (PhD)1, Carmel Poyser (MPhil)2, Peter Butterworth (PhD)3,4 1 Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, ACT, Australia 2 National Institute for Mental Health Research, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, ACT, Australia 3 Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Victoria, Australia 4 Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Victoria, Australia Keywords: workplace bullying, mobbing, suicide, suicidal ideation Running title: Workplace bullying and suicide WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Research (including systematic reviews and meta-analyses) has established a prospective association between workplace bullying and increased risk of ill mental health. However, far less is known about the association between workplace bullying and suicidal thoughts and behaviour. This systematic review finds there is a lack of high quality epidemiological research identifying if and how workplace bullying uniquely contributes to increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviour – this is a substantial gap in the literature. Additional solid evidence identifying suicidal thoughts and behaviours as an outcome, would strengthen the case for prioritising workplace and public health policies and legislation against workplace bullying. *Corresponding Author: Liana Leach. Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Tel: +61 2 61259725, Fax: +61 2 61250733, Email:
[email protected] Funding and Acknowledgements: This work was supported by Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship #FT13101444, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Early Career Fellowship #1035803.