_quarto.yml

project:
  type: book

execute:
  cache: true
  freeze: auto
  echo: false
  warning: false

department: Civil and Construction Engineering
student: Emily Kae Youngs
chair: Gregory S. Macfarlane
committee:
  - Jared A. Nielsen
  - Grant G. Schultz

# Title with custom formatting for fancy title page
book:
  output-file: "caps-anxiety"
  title:  Exploring the Link Between Travel Behavior and Mental Health
  author:
    - name: Emily K. Youngs
      orcid: 0009-0001-6847-1154
      email: emmykae@byu.edu
      affiliations:
        - id: byuce
          name: Civil and Construction Engineering Department, Brigham Young University
          address: 430 EB
          city: Provo
          state: UT
          country: USA
          postal-code: 84602
    - name: Gregory S. Macfarlane
      orcid: 0000-0003-3999-7584
      email: gregmacfarlane@byu.edu
      affiliations:
        - ref: byuce
    - name: Jared A. Nielsen
      orcid: 0000-0002-2717-193X
      email: jarednielsen@byu.edu
      affiliations:
      - id: byupsych
        name: Psychology Department, Brigham Young University
        address: 1070 KMBL
        city: Provo
        state: UT
        country: USA
        postal-code: 84602
  date: "10/10/2024"
  chapters:
    - index.qmd
    - 02_litreview.qmd
    - 03_methods.qmd
    - 04_results.qmd
    - 05_conclusions.qmd
    - 06_limitations.qmd
    - acknowledgments.qmd
    - references.qmd
  abstract: |
    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.

keywords:
  - travel behavior
  - mental health
  - motivation
  - suicidality
  - activity types
  - DBSCAN-TE
 
acknowledgments: |
  I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Macfarlane, my committee chair, as 
  well as to Dr. Schultz and Dr. Nielsen, for their invaluable guidance and support 
  in teaching me how to conduct research and write effectively. Their expertise 
  and encouragement have been instrumental in the completion of this thesis.
  I am also grateful to the BYU Civil and Construction Engineering Department 
  for providing the opportunities and resources necessary for my academic and 
  professional growth during my time at BYU.
  
  I would also like to express heartfelt thanks to my family and friends for 
  their unwavering support throughout this journey. 
  A special thank you to my husband, Josh, whose constant reassurance and encouragement
  have buoyed me up.
  
  The data used in this research was collected with help from an Interdisciplinary 
  Research Grant at Brigham Young University, and administered under IRB protocol 
  F2020-242. The investigators on the overarching grant include Terisa Gabrielsen, 
  Jared Nielsen, and Mikle South.

bibliography: groupreferences.bib
cite-method: citeproc
csl: apa.csl

format:
  html:
    theme: cosmo
  elsevier-pdf:
    journal: 
      name: Travel Behaviour and Society
      formatting: review
      model: 3p
    keep-tex: true
    highlight-style: arrow
    top-level-division: section
    include-in-header: 
      - packages.tex
    fig-pos: "H"
    toc: false

    
toc-depth: 3.0
    
editor: visual