A study conducted by Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona highlights that 88% of regular train users feel that their daily use negatively affects their quality of life. In collaboration with the Dignitat a les Vies platform, the research team in the Department of Psychology, which began this project three months ago, has evidenced a direct relationship between train use and emotional distress. Preliminary results, based on the responses of nearly 700 participants, show a significant increase in levels of anxiety, depression, and physical discomfort, compared with the population average. The punctuality of trains appears to be a critical factor, with half of the survey respondents stating that trains "never arrive on time," which could be an important cause of emotional distress.
Sergi Martín-Arbós, the study's lead researcher, highlights that frequent train users show higher scores in anxiety and depression, with somatization examples such as headaches or indigestion doubling relative to the general population. Ana Gómez, spokesperson for Dignitat a les Vies, notes that the results reflect a problem that has long been warned about, stating that users deserve more consideration. The study is still ongoing and continues to collect data, with the aim of including those who use the train sporadically as well, in order to provide a broader view of the impact of the service on passengers' mental health.
Read the full news article on The Country.
