By Felisha Garcia, Psy.D. and Lt. Cmdr. Dierdra Oretade-Branch, DSW, U.S. Public Health Service
Dec. 2, 2024

Tennessee Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Tarantino

Human beings, by nature, are social creatures. From a biological and evolutionary perspective, we thrive in community with others and this connection increased our chances for survival. Today, we continue to rely on communicating, socializing, and interacting with others for our overall wellness. While the quantity, quality, and type of social interactions differs for each person, we all have a need to belong and feel connected to our environment.¹ Losing this connection, feeling left out, or being ostracized can be painful and feel like a traumatic experience.

What is ostracism? Ostracism is intentionally excluding or ignoring others.² It can be overt, such as purposely not inviting a team member to a unit activity, or subtle, such as not valuing everyone’s input in decision-making. The “just ignore them” perspective may appear to be a quick fix to maintaining the status quo but it does little to promote patience, understanding, and assistance. Ostracism can have lasting negative effects regardless of how often you experience it.

No good comes from it. You can feel excluded in all aspects of your life — by family, friends, or colleagues, in-person, online, or while attending activities. Ostracism can increase stress and employee turnover, which can be detrimental to morale and economic growth for businesses.³ In situations where there is high reliance on team cohesion for success, such as in military missions, ostracism weakens the system and poses a threat to readiness.⁴ In particular, women serving in the military were found to be excluded within and outside their work environment.⁴ When one does not feel a sense of belonging, work enjoyment, efficiency, and mental health may suffer.⁵ Those diagnosed with a mental health condition, like depression, report feeling ostracized more often, which may worsen their symptoms.^6,7 An evaluation of 11 studies found that ostracism increased anxiety and suicidal thoughts.¹ Moreover, ostracisms doesn’t just impact those who experience it – there are negative consequences for those who ostracize others as well. Those that engage in the purposeful exclusion of others often experience guilt and a loss of moral credit.⁸ A systematic review of 89 articles found that ostracism in the workplace had personal, relational, and organizational impacts.⁵ These results highlight the importance social connection has on emotional well-being. Feeling left out can lead to loneliness, low self-esteem, and negatively affect familial and interpersonal relationships.⁵

What can we do about it? We can take action to prevent ostracism and to address its negative impacts. Remind ourselves we need social connection, and we are better together. Talk about and foster inclusivity and unity. Celebrate diversity by welcoming and learning about individuals with different personalities.⁴ Ensure the onboarding process of new colleagues is warm and supportive and includes connections to helpful coworkers and mentors. Reinforce inclusive behaviors through training and resources.⁴ Leaders should model inclusivity and effectively manage exclusionary behaviors.⁴ Promote workplace collaboration and view inclusion as a means to boost retention andsatisfaction.^4,5 Assist perpetrators of ostracism to repair injuries, improve communications, and re-establish a favorable self-image⁸ Instead of punishing,   normalize apologizing and asking for forgiveness when harm has been done.⁸ Eradicate ostracism by constantly monitoring yourself, leadership, and teams to prevent unethical exclusionary behaviors and engage in support, education, and acceptance.⁵

If you or a loved one needs additional support, contact the Psychological Health Resource Center 24/7 to confidentially speak with trained health resource consultants. Call 866-966-1020 or use the Live Chat. Remember, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support via phone or chat for people in distress, resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. For the Military/Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 and press 1 or text 838255. You can also chat online. Are you calling the Military/Veterans Crisis Line from overseas? The country code to reach the United States will be required for each of these numbers, depending on your location.

• Europe, call: 844-702-5495 or DSN 988
• Pacific, call: 844-702-5493 or DSN 988
• Southwest Asia, call: 855-422-7719 or DSN 988

Relevant Policies

• DOD Instruction 6400.09- DOD Policy on Integrated Primary Prevention of Self-Directed Harm and Prohibited Abuse or Harm
• DOD Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan

Additional Resources:

• Infographic: Preventing Harm from Ostracism - Contains examples and prevention tips
• Infographic: 6 Tips to Combat Ostracism - Learn ways to fight ostracism and “BELONG”
• Clinician’s Corner Blog: The Power of Deliberate Connection - Read more about ostracism in this blog
• Clinician’s Corner Blog: The Power of Staying Connected: Social Connection and Health - Read more about the importance of connection
• Real Warriors Campaign

References

1. Chen, Z., Poon, K. T., DeWall, C. N., & Jiang, T. (2020). Life lacks meaning without acceptance: Ostracism triggers suicidal thoughts. Journal of personality and social psychology, 119(6), 1423–1443. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000238
2. Psychological Health Center of Excellence. (in progress). Ostracism in the Military. Evidence Brief.
3. Dash, S., Ranjan, S., Bhardwaj, N., & Rastogi, S. K. (2023). Workplace ostracism: a qualitative enquiry. Personnel Review 53(4), 965-982. https://10.1108/PR-06-2022-0454
4. Kintzle, S., Alday, E., Clomax, A., Barak, M. M., & Castro, C. A. (2023). Factors Related to Exclusion in the U.S. Army. Armed Forces & Society, 49(2), 231-251. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X211068875
5. Sharma, N. & Dhar, R. L. (2022). From curse to cure of workplace ostracism: A systematic review and future research agenda. Human Resource Management Review, 32(3). 100836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2021.100836
6. Büttner, C. M., & Greifeneder, R. (2024). Everyday ostracism experiences of depressed individuals: Uncovering the role of attributions using experience sampling. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 17, 100804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2024.100804
7.  Bedi, A. (2021). No herd for black sheep: A meta‐analytic review of the predictors and outcomes of workplace ostracism. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 70(2), 861–904. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12238
8. He, P., Wang, J., Zhou, H., Liu, Q., & Zada, M. (2023). How and when perpetrators reflect on and respond to their workplace ostracism behavior: A moral cleansing lens. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 16, 683–700. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S396921

Dr. Felisha Garcia is a licensed clinical psychologist and contracted subject matter expert for the Defense Health Agency, Psychological Health of Center Excellence. She specializes in forensic psychology with extensive experience in the treatment of trauma.

Dr. Dierdra Oretade-Branch is a board certified clinical social worker and lieutenant commander in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service. She is a subject matter expert at PHCoE and specializes in military and forensic social work within the civilian, veteran, and active-duty service member populations.