Zhang, S.; Duan, J. and Sunindijo, R. Y. (2026) Mental health outcomes and psychosocial hazards experienced by construction professionals with different demographic characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 33(4), pp. 3424-3451. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose – The COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding control measures have harmed the mental health of professionals working in the construction industry. Existing research has also indicated that demographic characteristics are leading variables causing differences in individual's perceptions on mental health and psychosocial hazardous factors. Combining these, this research aims to compare the differences and similarities of the perceived mental health outcomes and psychosocial hazards among construction professionals with different demographic characteristics during the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach – Using a questionnaire survey, data were collected from 531 construction professionals working in Chinese construction companies, which were analyzed quantitatively using mean score comparative analysis, Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis H test, as well as Spearman's correlation analysis. Findings – The results indicate that construction professionals with different ages, years of working experience and positions are exposed to different psychosocial hazards, resulting in different mental health conditions during the pandemic. Age and years of working experience are also strong predictors of the level of depression and anxiety experienced by construction professionals; that is, mental ill health tends to decrease with the increase of age and experience. Male department/unit heads, working in a company office environment for a private company and aged 31–40 years old with 11–20 years of working experience, tend to have the best mental health condition. In contrast, psychosocial hazards are more likely to produce the most serious impact on male site-based construction professionals working for a state-owned company, either with less than one year of working experience or in a senior management position. Originality/value – Despite the significant contribution of the construction industry to the global economy, the differences and similarities of the mental health outcomes and psychosocial hazards among construction professionals with different demographic characteristics during the pandemic remain unknown. This research, therefore, reveals the mental health outcomes and psychosocial hazard impacts among different types of construction professionals during the pandemic. Specifically, this research unveils the important personal characteristics which are closely associated with poor mental health and the stronger impacts of psychosocial hazards on the mental health of construction professionals during the pandemic. The results are valuable for governments and construction companies to formulate targeted mental health intervention strategies during future public health emergencies.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction professionals; demographic characteristics; mental health; pandemic; psychosocial hazards |
| Index terms: | intervention strategy, comparative analysis, survey, construction company, COVID-19, questionnaire, anxiety, methodology, correlation analysis, public health, depression, pandemic, mental health, construction industry, construction professional |
| Subjects: | data analysis and analytics, mental health and wellbeing, data collection methods, statistical analysis, environmental health, industry analysis, health conditions and diseases, professional development, health risk and incident analysis, organization, financial risk, research methods |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Information Management, Business Strategy, Cost Management, Sustainability, Health and Safety |
| 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