Abdalla, A; Li, X; Yang, F and Cao, X (2025) Mental health and well-being in international construction projects: Systematic review of antecedents, constructs, and outcomes. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 151(10): 04025153, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
The increasing complexity and stressful nature of international and multicultural construction projects have highlighted the urgent need to address the mental health and well-being (MHWB) of expatriates working in these challenging environments. Despite the growing awareness of these issues, existing research in this domain remains fragmented. This fragmentation limits the capacity to develop a comprehensive understanding of the mental health and well-being of expatriates, impeding progress in expatriate management practices and mental health interventions for this occupational group. This study adopts a systematic review methodology, analyzing 54 peer-reviewed journal articles from diverse disciplines to synthesize antecedents, MHWB constructs, and outcomes in the context of international construction projects. The study identified positive and negative MHWB constructs, outcomes, and five themes of antecedents: host country characteristics, personal factors, work-related factors, organizational factors, and social and interpersonal factors. Findings from this study could contribute to both mental health and expatriate research. Theoretically, this review introduces more clarity to MHWB research in the international and multicultural context by conceptualizing the link among antecedents, MHWB constructs, and their outcomes. The research also discusses practical implications and provides valuable references for researchers and practitioners in international construction projects.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | conceptual framework; international construction projects; mental health and well-being; multicultural; systematic review |
| Index terms: | construction project, practitioner, complexity, international construction project, systematic literature review, conceptual framework, journal, mental health, methodology, management practice, fragmentation, well-being, organizational factor |
| Subjects: | theoretical framing, health conditions and diseases, management, systems engineering, mental health and wellbeing, strategic management, production management, research dissemination and communication, research evaluation and metrics, research methods, practitioner, business |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Engineering Principles, International Construction, Roles and Professions, Health and Safety, Research Practice, Project Management, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here