The relationship between stress, social capital, support, distress, and organisational outcomes for infrastructure workers

Infrastructure workers experience high levels of distress. This research explores protective factors (social capital and social support). Study 1 used social network analysis (sociograms) on 14 construction workers. Workers without distress had larger, more diverse networks, and more emotional support compared to those with distress. Workers with distress (and a partner) did not nominate their partner as a provider of emotional support. Study 2 explored life events, social capital, and social support on distress for 220 infrastructure workers. Those with a partner who were severely distressed were unlikely to first seek support from their partner across all social support items.