The process of soil excavation in a community - Site-specific determinants of stress perception

This study examines the psychosocial impact of the process of soil excavation in a Belgian community after the initial responses to the announcement of the contamination. Qualitative and quantitative data are connected to predict the stress experience of the residents. Halfway through the excavation of the community, structured questionnaires were collected (N = 98) that included questions about stressors related to the risks of the physical environment and to the process of soil excavation. The results show that neither risk assessments nor risk perceptions about the contaminated sources significantly contribute to the explanation of variance. The stress perception is best predicted by the need for additional information about the risks, the decontamination stage, and the extent of site-specific concerns. However, concerns related to the process of soil excavation seemed to have an effect on the experience of stress only if inhabitants had started with the recovery of the excavation.