Exploring the Link Between Travel Behavior and Mental Health
This study explores the link between travel behavior and mental health, focusing on young adults with suicidal ideation. By examining daily activities and movement patterns, the research explores travel-related mental health strategies for individuals. The goal is to inform more personalized mental health strategies to improve quality of life.
Using location-based services (LBS) data collected over time, the study performs a longitudinal analysis of travel patterns and mental well-being across autism, social anxiety, and control groups. Statistical models were used to assess the relationship between suicidality, motivation levels, and travel behavior, as well as activity engagement at different location types. The study used the DBSCAN-TE (density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise, time, and entropy) algorithm to identify activities from LBS data, with additional efforts made to address issues with data quality and missing activity information.
The findings revealed significant differences in activity engagement and motivation levels among the groups. The control group participated in more activities and reported higher motivation compared to the autism and social anxiety groups. Increased activity engagement did not consistently raise motivation levels. However, for those in the control group, more activities in parks lead to a statistically significant increase in motivation and for those in the autism group, more activities to grocery stores lead to a statistically significant decrease in motivation. The research highlights the complex interplay between travel behavior, activity engagement, and mental health outcomes, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions based on individual needs.
Limitations include sparse data due to participants disabling phones or app malfunctions, and a lack of detailed activity duration information. All in all, this research sheds light on the complex relationship between travel behavior and mental health among young adults with suicidal ideation. By understanding how travel patterns impact motivation levels and mental well-being, tailored interventions can be developed to support individuals grappling with mental health challenges. Future research should enhance data collection methods to improve reliability and provide more robust insights into the relationship between travel behavior and mental health.
travel behavior, mental health, motivation, suicidality, activity types, DBSCAN-TE
1 Introduction
In the United States, the prevalence of mental illnesses among adults, aged 18 or older, rose from 19.1% in 2018 to 22.8% in 2021 (Mackett, 2021; “Mental Health By the Numbers,” 2023). The essence of mental health extends far beyond the absence of illness, encompassing emotional, psychological, and social dimensions essential for holistic well-being. This holistic perspective highlights mental health’s pervasive influence on personal relationships, work efficiency, and lifestyle choices, accentuating the need to examine its intersection with individual daily behaviors and choices. The allocation of time and its impact is particularly intriguing, as it closely ties to travel behavior, including both patterns and decisions, related to moving from place to place. These behaviors include trip frequency, destination choices, and daily travel decisions (Timmermans et al., 2003). Understanding the impact of these travel patterns on mental well-being is potentially crucial for empowering individuals to make informed decisions that promote positive mental health outcomes while avoiding behaviors detrimental to well-being.
In this thesis, through comprehensive data analysis and statistical modeling, we aim to uncover insights into how travel behavior impacts motivation levels and mental health across different neurological or psychological groups, exploring variations across autism, social anxiety, and control groups. Significant differences in activity engagement and motivation among individuals in the autism, social anxiety, and control groups underscore the complex interplay between these factors and mental health. Additionally, we investigate the relationship between suicidality, motivation levels, and travel behaviors within these groups. We also examine the impact of engagement in activities at different location types on motivation levels. By investigating this dataset, we aim to illuminate the relationship between various mental health parameters and individuals’ daily activity engagement, thereby providing invaluable insights into overall mental wellness. Unraveling the connection between individual travel patterns and mental well-being holds potential in supporting those grappling with mental health challenges.
This thesis explores the connection between mental health and travel behavior patterns currently discussed in the literature. It outlines the methods used to analyze activities and integrate survey responses into a cohesive dataset. Models are then presented to analyze the relationship between mental health and travel behavior. Following this, the discussion focuses on the travel patterns and mental health outcomes across the three different groups. Finally, the thesis concludes summarizing the key findings and by offering insights for future research.