Constructing mental health - factory workers’ perceptions on issues and practices : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Albany Campus, New Zealand

Abstract

The study explores how factory workers in New Zealand (NZ) understand, experience, and perceive mental health within industrial workplace settings. Grounded in a critical realist paradigm, a qualitative case study approach with thematic analysis was adopted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews from three factory workers, enabling in-depth exploration of their lived experiences. The data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns, meanings, and workplace influences shaping mental health perceptions and their mental health issues. The findings reveal that mental health is predominantly understood by the three participants in functional terms, associated with stability, resilience, and the ability to continue working despite stress, rather than as a holistic concept involving emotional well-being. Workplace culture, particularly masculine norms, strongly influenced emotional expression, promoting silence, self-reliance, and stigma around help-seeking was identified by the participants. Structural factors such as high production demands, limited job control, financial pressures, lack of recognition, and restricted career progression were identified as key contributors to mental distress among the participants. The findings suggested these pressures are often normalised, leading participants to internalise stress and continue working while experiencing emotional strain, sometimes adopting unhealthy coping mechanisms. The participants perceived that communication about mental health is further constrained by power dynamics, fear of judgement, and lack of psychological safety, making disclosure a risky decision. The study also suggests that although organisational support mechanisms exist, they are often perceived as inaccessible or ineffective, resulting in reliance on individual coping strategies. The participants’ accounts also helped identify a gap between formal workplace mental health initiatives and the participants’ lived realities, suggesting the need for cultural change, improved communication, and more accessible, context-sensitive support systems.