ABSTRACT
Due to the intense interpersonal nature of the work, health workers are frequently on the receiving end of the dysfunctional behaviour of others. For example, mental health workers are regularly exposed to patients with personality disorders, which manifest in a range of challenging behaviours. However, dysfunctional individuals are not just found in the patient population but also among the workforce – one’s colleagues and managers. In fact, health care settings provide a fertile and attractive environment for such individuals to act out a broad range of dysfunctional behaviours. This can result in high levels of occupational stress, either for the dysfunctional individual or for those who are on the receiving end of their behaviours. The term ‘work dysfunction’ has been used to describe this maladaptive behavioural manifestation of occupational stress (Lowman 1997).
