Malaki, M; Shou, W and Wang, J (2025) Psychological distress among male construction workers in Australia: A systematic analysis. International Journal of Construction Management, 25(15), pp. 1791-1799. ISSN 1562-3599
Abstract
The construction industry, particularly in Australia, grapples with significant levels of psychological distress (PD) among its workforce, notably impacting male workers. In recent times, PD has emerged as a pressing concern, adversely affecting on-site safety, construction efficiency, and the broader personal realms of workers, including familial and interpersonal relationships. This research aims to elucidate the spectrum of psychological distress experienced by male workers within the Australian construction sector and explore effective strategies for mitigating these distress levels. Employing a systematic literature review methodology, this study utilised the Scopus database and reduced the number to 28 from 764 by undergoing meticulous screening to ensure alignment with key themes such as PD, construction, male workers, and mental health. Another three more articles were included after reviewing the references. Analysis of diverse scholarly perspectives reveals stress, anxiety, and depression as the predominant psychological distresses afflicting this demographic. Moreover, the literature underscores key interventions to alleviate PD, encompassing robust organizational and industry support mechanisms, targeted health and safety training initiatives, and fostering open and constructive communication channels. By synthesising insights from a range of scholarly sources, this research contributes to a deeper comprehension of the multifaceted issues surrounding the mental well-being of male construction workers, offering valuable insights for stakeholders aiming to cultivate a healthier and more supportive work environment in the construction industry. Future research endeavours should aim to address the limitation of providing real-time data from firsthand investigation.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Australia; male construction workers; psychological distress; systematic review |
| Index terms: | strategy, anxiety, screening, systematic literature review, psychological distress, construction industry, construction worker, Australia, mental health, efficiency, investigation, distress, support mechanism, construction sector, depression, health and safety, database, methodology, work environment, real-time data, interpersonal relationship, well-being |
| Subjects: | data management, management, health conditions and diseases, data collection methods, health safety and environment, research evaluation and metrics, performance management, behavioral psychology, industry analysis, mental health and wellbeing, organization, practitioner, research methods, Geography, structural engineering |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Health and Safety, Engineering Principles, Business Strategy, Geographical Context, Digital Applications, Quality Management, Human Resources |
| 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