Exploring the causal relationship between campus walkability and affective walking experience: Evidence from 7 major tertiary education campuses in China

This study investigates the causal relationship between campus perceived walkability and the affective walking experiences of students, with a focus on their mental well-being. To address this question, we incorporated both subjective (perceived) and objective (physical) walkability data. Using data from 697 participants across seven Chinese tertiary education campuses, the study employs a counterfactual analysis to estimate the impact of campus perceived walkability on students’ walking experiences. The analysis reveals that students living in campuses with improved walkability are 9.75% more likely to have positive walking experiences compared to those without walkability renovations. While walking attitude is strongly correlated with walking experiences, the study emphasizes the significance of objective factors such as campus surroundings and the availability of walking spaces in influencing the walking experience. Geographical features, including campus perceived walkability improvements, have the most substantial impact, and this effect varies across different subsets of respondents. These findings underscore the importance of considering specific subsets and campus features when assessing the impact of walkability improvements on the walking experience. In conclusion, the study provides compelling evidence of a causal link between improved campus perceived walkability and enhanced affective walking experiences among students, suggesting the need for further research on mediating factors and cultural variations affecting student mental health on various Chinese campuses.