Depression alleviation among survivors of traumatic events through travel and recreation participation

Purpose This study aims to examine the causal and reciprocal relationships between participation in travel and recreational activities and depression alleviation among survivors of traumatic events. It seeks to uncover the transformative potential of these activities as nonpharmacological interventions and to provide insights that inform the therapeutic design of travel in rehabilitation contexts. Design/methodology/approach Using a longitudinal dataset, this study employs the random intercept cross-lagged panel model – a robust technique for evaluating causal relationships in nonexperimental longitudinal research – to assess the reciprocal effects between travel and recreation participation and depression severity over time. Findings Individuals with more severe depression are more likely to engage in travel as a coping mechanism. However, travel does not inherently alleviate depressive symptoms, likely because its physical and emotional demands often outweigh its benefits. This highlights the need to transform travel into structured interventions to maximize therapeutic potential. In contrast, recreational activities exhibit a stronger therapeutic effect, with early participation reducing depressive symptoms and lower depression levels, subsequently encouraging continued engagement in recreation over time. Originality/value By highlighting the interplay between social causation and social withdrawal theories, this research proposes transforming travel experiences into structured therapeutic interventions, pioneering a new perspective on integrating health and tourism studies. The study encourages researchers to adopt a holistic approach to understanding the health benefits of travel, considering both the influence of external factors on health and how individuals respond to their psychological state.