Developing and validating a positive mental health scale for the global south construction industry: the construction industry positive mental health inventory (CI-PMHI)
Abstract
Purpose
Promoting positive mental health is increasingly being encouraged as the focus of research and policies on the mental health of construction personnel. Most measures of mental health, however, typically use negative indicators such as depression and anxiety and are not specifically developed for the construction workforce, especially those with a Global South background. These limitations have made it challenging to measure construction personnel’s positive mental health. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to develop a scale for measuring the positive mental health of construction personnel with a Global South background.
Design/methodology/approach
Guided by Keyes’ two-continua model of mental health, the study objectives were addressed through a mixed-methods study using the case of Ghana. Qualitative data collected from eight key stakeholder groups using 16 interviews and two rounds of focus group discussions were analysed thematically. Quantitative data were obtained through a survey of 425 construction personnel and analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and correlation analysis.
Findings
Thematic analysis revealed a four-dimensional structure of positive mental health, namely, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual. Confirmatory factor analysis and correlation analysis of the results indicated good instrument validity and reliability.
Originality/value
Existing measures of positive mental health are based on a three-dimensional model, i.e. emotional, social and psychological well-being. By including spiritual well-being, this study proposes a four-dimensional measurement model as a more comprehensive and promising measure to use in surveys of positive mental health among the construction workforce, especially those with a Global South background, and to develop suitable interventions for them.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Mabel Frimpong for her professional proofreading services. This paper forms part of a broad research project from which other publications have been produced with different objectives but share a common background, data and methods. This research was supported with funds by the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), University International Postgraduate Award (UIPA) Scholarship Scheme and the ADA HRD Essential Cost of Research Funding.
Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Ethics: Ethics approval (No. HC201891) for this research was granted by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Citation
Frimpong, S., Sunindijo, R.Y., Wang, C.C., Hon, C.K.H., Boadu, E.F., Dansoh, A. and Yiu, (K).T.W. (2023), "Developing and validating a positive mental health scale for the global south construction industry: the construction industry positive mental health inventory (CI-PMHI)", Construction Innovation, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/CI-06-2023-0139
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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