The theoretical development of job burnout remains fragmented in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector, and evidence-based interventions remain limited. Hence, this study charts the theoretical evolution of job burnout within the AEC and evaluates cross-industry interventions to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
This study screened 84 AEC-focused theoretical articles and 56 cross-industry intervention studies indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (January 2000–April 2025) guided by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). CiteSpace was used for bibliometric mapping of theoretical trajectories, and intervention studies were critically synthesized.
This study shows: (1) AEC burnout theories predominantly focus on “stress-strain” models, underestimating the impacts of multifactorial interactions, organizational resources, and emerging technologies and (2) Cross-industry interventions prioritize psychologically driven approaches (mindfulness), which show marked efficacy in alleviating emotional exhaustion but exhibit inconsistent effects on cynicism and professional efficacy. This study reveals: (1) Technology-driven solutions, stressor dualities, integrated stress management, and special population studies as emerging theoretical frontiers, (2) A proposed “Stressor-Resource Rebalancing” dynamic model and an adaptability matrix for interventions and (3) The critical role of technology-enabled strategies in reshaping intervention pathways.
This study pioneers the integration of bibliometric insights into AEC burnout studies, challenging static theoretical paradigms. The dynamic model and adaptability matrix provide methodological innovations, whereas technology-enabled pathways redefine occupational mental health management in heterogeneous industrial settings.
