Conceptualising Stress, Anxiety, And Depression In The Construction Industry And Evidence And Gaps

Mental Health challenges, particularly stress, anxiety, and depression, are prominent within the construction industry globally. Despite growing awareness of mental health in the construction industry, existing literature remains fragmented, with these constructs often investigated in isolation rather than how they co-occur and compound over time within the pressures of construction work. Building on the need to synthesise fragmented knowledge, this study conducted a structured narrative review of research on construction mental health literature related to stress, anxiety, and depression. Searches were undertaken across Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, for studies published from 2000 to 2026 using terms related to construction mental health, stress, anxiety, depression, well-being, and stigma, but also included foundational definitions of mental health and well-being. Eligible studies focused on construction industry populations and the inclusion of one or more of the targeted constructs. The literature was synthesised using a thematic approach to identify patterns, relationships and gaps around the three constructs. The review indicates that stress is frequently examined in isolation, with a limited understanding of its interplay with anxiety and depression as part of an interconnected cycle. Variations in study designs and contexts further limit the comparison across findings. Workplace factors, such as organisational pressures and the industry’s macho culture, where mental health is often stigmatised, contributes to underreporting and prolongs the cycle of poor mental health. This paper contributes by providing a conceptual understanding of stress, anxiety, and depression within the construction industry, underscoring their relationship and the impact of workplace conditions. It also highlights key conceptual and methodological gaps, supporting the need for integrated approaches to improve understanding of mental health challenges in the construction industry and therefore could enhance the development of future organisational wellbeing initiatives.