Investigation of occupational stress and coping strategies among civil engineering professionals in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Occupational stress represents a considerable risk for the health and well-being of a person. The main aim of this research is to identify the most frequently occurring stressors and predictors of occupational stress in Amazon civil engineers, as well as to highlight the coping strategies employed by them. A questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were used as methods. The results showed that stress agents that usually affect civil engineers are the pressure related to job responsibility, followed by work-family conflict, where women present higher stress levels than men. Regarding coping strategies, it has been noted that the practice of physical activity was considered a common approach for senior engineers, and that social support was frequently observed among the majority of the sample. Hopefully, this research will contribute to the study of occupational stress in relation to the construction industry, as well as assist organizations and professionals in applying effective stress-coping strategies.