Influence of personal characteristics and environmental stressors on mental health for multicultural construction workplaces in Australia

Abstract Exposure to various stressors has resulted in a significant problem of mental health among the construction workforce. A culturally intolerant environment may aggravate mental ill health in a multicultural workplace. However, an underlying structural issue that has not been sufficiently addressed to date is the influence the crucial personal characteristics and environmental stressors have on mental health in the multicultural construction environment. This study aims to examine the role of personal characteristics and environmental stressors in construction workers’ mental health in the multicultural environment. Data were collected using an online questionnaire survey from 252 construction workers in Australia. The structural equation modelling (SEM) technique with partial least-squares estimation (PLS) was adopted to analyze the data. Results showed that workers’ mental health is not only influenced by stressors related to the work environment, but also by individual traits. Increased levels of cultural stressors tend to aggravate the adverse effect of work stressors on mental health. Work stressors are more likely to cause mental ill health for the individuals characterized by a higher level of aggressive, competitive, ambiguous, and impulsive personalities; whilst cultural stressors are less likely to cause mental ill health for those individuals. This research offers an innovative perspective on the relationships between crucial person-environment factors and mental health, and informs the practice of work health and safety in the multicultural construction workplace.