•  
  •  
 

ORCID ID

Nur Syafiqah Fauzan : 0000-0001-5548-985X

Nur Alia Farahanin Mohd Tajuddin : -

Neroshini Thanarajee : -

Dayana Hazwani Mohd Saudi Nata : 0000-0003-1593-1679

Ezrin Hani Sukadarin : 0000-0003-4395-3242

Mirta Widia : 0000-0003-3726-6868

Abstract

Background: Construction industries that focus on project-based nature, pressure, and long hours may lead to job-related stress among workers. In many emerging nations, robust economic growth plans generate occupational depression, anxiety, and stress among construction industry personnel. This study aims to determine the relationship between these items and the risk factors (demographic) among Malaysian construction professionals.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 173 Malaysian construction professionals. A DASS-21 questionnaire is used to survey eligible respondents.

Results: Findings show that construction professionals have a high level of stress (54.9%), anxiety (48.5%), and depression (37%). Gender is significantly associated with stress (p = 0.000) and depression (p = 0.000). In turn, stress (p = 0.038), anxiety (p = 0.000), and depression (p = 0.001) all demonstrate a significant relationship with health status

Conclusions: Health status is the risk factor most significantly associated with occupational stress. Given the findings, construction managers can help protect their employees and their mental health by promoting a healthy workplace through stress management and social activities.

References

  1. Tan ZY, Shide ZY, Kanisawa K, Mine H. Factors in construction accidents and the barriers of safety practices: Perspectives of contractors. Int J Soc Sci Res. 2022;4:1–13.
  2. Kamardeen I, Sunindijo RY. Personal characteristics moderate work stress in construction professionals. J Constr Eng Manag. 2017;143:1–8.
  3. Wahab AB. Stress management among artisans in construction industry in Nigeria. Glob J Res Eng. 2010;10:93–103.
  4. Ng ST, Skitmore RM, Leung TKC. Manageability of stress among construction project participants. Eng Constr Archit Manag. 2005;12:264–82.
  5. Sunindijo RY, Kamardeen I. Work stress is a threat to gender diversity in the construction industry. J Constr Eng Manag. 2017;143:04017073.
  6. Campbell F. Occupational stress in the construction industry. Bracknell: Chartered Institute of Building, 2006.
  7. Samuel OB. The effects of organisational culture and stress on organisational employee commitment. Management. 2015;5:96–106.
  8. Beck AT, Alford BA. Depression: Causes and treatment. 2nd ed. Philadelphia (PA): University of Pennsylvania Press; 2009.
  9. Selye H. Stress without distress. In: Serban G. Ed. Psychopathology of Human Adaptation. Springer, 1976, p.137–46.
  10. Leung M, Chan Y-S, Yuen K-W. Impacts of stressors and stress on the injury incidents of construction workers in Hong Kong. J Constr Eng Manag. 2010;136:1093–103.
  11. Gómez-Salgado C, Camacho-Vega JC, Gómez-Salgado J, García-Iglesias JJ, Fagundo-Rivera J, Allande-Cussó R, et al. Stress, fear, and anxiety among construction workers: A systematic review. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1226914.
  12. De Silva N, Samanmali R, De Silva HL. Managing occupational stress of professionals in large construction projects. J Eng Des Technol. 2017;15:488–504.
  13. Goldenhar LM, Williams LJ, Swanson NG. Modelling relationships between job stressors and injury and near-miss outcomes for construction labourers. Work Stress. 2003;17:218–40.
  14. Leung MY, Liang Q, Olomolaiye P. Impact of job stressors and stress on the safety behavior and accidents of construction workers. J Manag Eng. 2016;32:1–10.
  15. Ratanasiripong P, Kaewboonchoo O, Bell E, Haigh C, Susilowati I, Isahak M, et al. Depression, Isahak in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Int J Occup Health Public Health Nurs. 2016;3:13–29.
  16. Inayat W, Jahanzeb Khan M. A Study of job satisfaction and its effect on the performance of employees working in private sector organizations, Peshawar. Educ Res Int. 2021;2021: 1751495.
  17. Memon MA, Ting H, Cheah J-H, Thurasamy R, Chuah F, Cham TH. Sample Size for survey research: Review and recommendations. J Appl Struct Equ Modeling. 2020;4:i–xx.
  18. Whitehead AL, Sully BG, Campbell MJ. Pilot and feasibility studies: Is there a difference from each other and from a randomised controlled trial? Contemp Clin Trials. 2014;38:130–3.
  19. Beiter R, Nash R, McCrady M, Rhoades D, Linscomb M, Clarahan M, et al. The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students. J Affect Disord. 2015;173:90–6.
  20. Cheon Y, Park J, Jeong BY, Park EY, Oh JK, Yun EH, et al. Factors associated with psychological stress and distress among Korean adults: The results from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Sci Rep. 2020;10:15134.
  21. Sornsenee P, Kongtragulsub K, Watcharajiranich K, Chantanuwat R, Aungchayakul A, Mangkhalathat K, et al. Factors associated with anxiety and depression among micro, small, and medium enterprise restaurant entrepreneurs due to Thailand's COVID-19-related restrictions: A cross-sectional study. Risk Manag Health Policy. 2022;15:1157–65.
  22. Langdon RR, Sawang S. Construction workers’ well-being: What leads to depression, anxiety, and stress? J Constr Eng Manag. 2018;144:1–15.
  23. Loosemore M, Waters T. Gender differences in occupational stress among professionals in the construction industry. J Manag Eng. 2004;20:126–32.
  24. Roche AM, Pidd K, Fischer JA, Lee N, Scarfe A, Kostadinov V. Men, work, and mental health: A systematic review of depression in male-dominated industries and occupations. Saf Health Work. 2016;7:268–83.
  25. Taylor SE, Klein LC, Lewis BP, Gruenewald TL, Gurung RA, Updegraff JA. Biobehavioral responses to stress in females: Tend-and-befriend, not fight-or-flight. Psychol Rev. 2000;107:411–29.
  26. Hodes GE. A primer on sex differences in the behavioral response to stress. Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2018;23:75–83.
  27. Beswick J, Rogers K, Corbett E, Binch S, and Jackson K. An analysis of the prevalence and distribution of stress in the construction industry. Buxton, UK: Health and Safety Executive, 2007.
  28. Pamidimukkala A, Kermanshachi S. Impact of Covid-19 on field and office workforce in construction industry. Proj Leadersh Soc. 2021;2:100018.
  29. Choudhari R. COVID 19 pandemic: Mental health challenges of internal migrant workers of India. Asian J Psychiatr. 2020;54:102254.
  30. Ekpanyaskul C, Padungtod C. Occupational health problems and lifestyle changes among novice working-from-home workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Saf Health Work. 2021;12:384–9.
  31. Chan APC, Nwaogu JM, Naslund JA. Mental ill-health risk factors in the construction industry: Systematic review. J Constr Eng Manag. 2020;146:04020004

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.