Traffic Congestion, Academic Disruption, and Psychological Distress: A Quantitative Assessment of University Students in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Urban traffic congestion constitutes a critical yet underexplored structural barrier to higher education quality in rapidly urbanizing low- and middle-income countries. This cross-sectional study examined the impact of traffic congestion on academic disruption and psychological distress among 402 university students in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Validated scales assessed academic disruption (α = 0.787) and psychological distress (α = 0.782), analyzed via Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, multiple linear regression, and Baron and Kenny mediation analysis. Results indicated that 56.4% experienced congestion always or often, with 34.6% enduring one-way commutes exceeding two hours. Travel time significantly predicted academic disruption (ρ = 0.162, p=.001) and congestion frequency predicted psychological distress (ρ = 0.110, p=.027). Female students reported significantly greater psychological distress (U = 22,906, p=.015, r = 0.121), most acutely through motivational depletion (d = 0.347). Academic disruption and psychological distress were strongly correlated (r = 0.656, p<.001, R²=0.431), with psychological distress partially mediating the travel time–academic disruption pathway (ab = 0.048, Sobel Z = 3.242, p=.001; 57.3% mediated). Transport mode significantly differentiated outcomes (H = 28.15, p<.001), while no differences emerged across faculties or residential location, establishing congestion as a universal academic stressor. Findings carry direct implications for flexible scheduling, hybrid learning, and sustainable urban transport investment aligned with SDG 4 and SDG 11.