A Time to Unwind or Despair? Decoding the Impact of Commuting Duration on Psychological Distress

Abstract

Commuting has traditionally been viewed as a demand that negatively impacts psychological health. Yet, theoretical scholarship suggests there may be an upside to commuting for mental health. This study examines (a) whether the association between one-way commuting duration and psychological distress is non-linear and (b) whether this association is modified by two within-domain demands: household labor relative to one’s partner (home demand) and job pressure (job demand). Multivariate results using data from a cross-sectional survey of employed adults in dual-earning relationships in the United States (n = 568) reveal a U-shaped relationship between commuting duration and psychological distress. Specifically, we find that psychological distress decreases over the first 44 minutes of commuting duration but increases thereafter. This quadratic effect is only observed at higher levels of within-domain demands of both home and work. Under such conditions, shorter commutes are especially beneficial, whereas longer commutes have the most negative impact. Gender does not moderate these associations. This study highlights the complex interplay of various factors in shaping the association between commuting and mental health for employees in dual-earner relationships.