A multicomponent and neurophysiological intervention for the emotional and mental states of high-altitude construction workers

• Published in: Automation in construction Vol. 105; p. 102836
• Main Authors: Xing, Xuejiao, Li, Heng, Li, Jue, Zhong, Botao, Luo, Hanbin, Skitmore, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Brain; Construction industry; Electroencephalogram; Electroencephalography; Emotional and mental state; Fatigue; High altitude; High-altitude construction workers; Intervention; Multicomponent and neurophysiological intervention; Muscles; Statistical analysis; Stimulation; Emotional and mental state; High-altitude construction workers; Electroencephalogram; Multicomponent and neurophysiological intervention
• ISSN: 0926-5805; 1872-7891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.autcon.2019.102836

The emotional and mental states of high-altitude construction workers (e.g., emotions and mental fatigue) are one of the critical factors affecting work performance (e.g., safety, health, construction quality, and productivity). To prevent undesired results from adverse emotional and mental states, active interventions for workers are important. Taking scaffolders on site as specific objects, a multicomponent (with two intervention sessions) and neurophysiological intervention during working intervals is proposed in this research. A sample of 10 participants is randomly assigned to either an intervention group or control group. Emotional and mental inducement is conducted in advance to simulate the states of scaffolders in normal working conditions. Then a simple, rapid, and active intervention, consisting of a progressive muscle relaxation session and a trigeminal nerve stimulation session, is applied to the experimental group in a lounge environment for 13 min. For the control group, a normal resting mode (i.e. sitting still) is adopted instead. During the experiment, a wearable electroencephalogram sensor is used to collect electrical signals from related brain regions of a subject. Based on corresponding indices, the emotional and mental states of subjects are indicated by electroencephalogram signals. The combined effects of the progressive muscle relaxation and trigeminal nerve stimulation sessions in adjusting adverse emotional and mental states of high-altitude construction workers are determined by statistical analysis. •A multicomponent and neurophysiological intervention method for workers’ adverse emotional and mental statuses is proposed.•A wearable electroencephalogram sensor is adopted to collect electrical signals from related brain areas of subjects.•It is one of the innovative explorations of the active intervention for high-altitude construction workers.•The research results offer theory supports for the exploration and development of active intervention approaches.•In-depth study can serve as a foundation for providing guidance to the emotional and mental state management on sites.