Nature-Based Therapy in Individuals with Mental Health Disorders, with a Focus on Mental Well-Being and Connectedness to Nature-A Pilot Study

The experiences and perspectives of participating in a nature integrative rehabilitation programme when suffering from post-concussion syndrome: responses, gains, and impact from using enriched nature environments as a rehabilitation setting and integrating nature as rehabilitation means

PURPOSE

This study aims to understand the perspectives of individuals participating in a nature integrative rehabilitation (NIR) programme for post-concussion syndrome (PCS) in Denmark. The focus is on benefits, challenges, and impact of using enriched natural environments in rehabilitation.

METHODS

A qualitative approach was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 23 participants who completed a 10-week NIR programme in a therapy garden. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes and patterns in participants' experiences.

RESULTS

Participants reported enhanced emotional and sensory engagement with natural environments, leading to decreased PCS symptoms. The structured nature integrative activities promoted present-moment awareness, relaxation, and physical activity, which were valued by the participants. The facilitators' ability to adapt activities to individual needs was crucial to the perceived benefit of the programme. Group settings provided social support, reducing feelings of isolation.

CONCLUSIONS

NIR supports individuals with PCS by enhancing emotional well-being, reducing symptoms, and providing coping strategies. Alongside social support, the flexibility of the activities, allowing individuals to engage according to their symptoms and capabilities, is critical for rehabilitative outcomes. Future research should explore long-term effects and refine intervention protocols for implementation in the healthcare system to ensure the efficacy of NIR for people with PCS.

How Does Nature Connectedness Improve Mental Health in College Students? A Study of Chain Mediating Effects

How does nature connectedness influence college students' mental health? To further understand the dynamics at play, this present study delves into the chain mediating roles of resilience and meaning in life, from the perspective of the natural environment's impact on mental health. In April 2024, researchers utilized quantitative research methods to analyze questionnaire data from 703 college students in China, assessing multiple dimensions such as nature connectedness, resilience, meaning in life, and mental health. The results show the following: (1) All pairs of variables showed significant correlations. (2) Resilience is partly mediated by nature connectedness and mental health. (3) Meaning in life is found to have a partial mediating effect, further elucidating this relationship. (4) A chain mediating role is played by resilience and meaning in life in the connection between nature connectedness and mental health. This study expands the research scope of health psychology, has interdisciplinary research significance, and furnishes theoretical support and important guidance, which are essential in improving college students' mental health.

EnvironMental Health: A Framework for an Emerging Field at the Intersection of the Environment and Mental Health Crises

Understanding how the environment shapes our mental and cognitive health is imperative to support efforts that promote healthy and sustainable living conditions. The etiology of mental health conditions remains often unclear, and social factors have received more scrutiny than natural or built environments. We present a conceptual framework illustrating the emerging intersection between the environment and neuropsychological health, intended to structure and guide research and funding, as well as public health and environmental initiatives. We conducted a scoping review of reviews of existing evidence on the impacts of the environment on mental and cognitive health. We found that an extensive body of work was focused on chemical hazards and the built environment and their associations with neurological and mental health, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, dementia, and mood. We identified emerging areas of research intersecting environmental factors such as air, water, light, and green space with schizophrenia and behavioral health. Our analysis of the intersections between the environment and mental and cognitive health allows for the identification of knowledge clusters and gaps, contextualizing needs and opportunities for future research and funding strategies. These significant connections showcase the importance of understanding the relationships between the environment and mental and cognitive health. With this work, we assert that the protection of the environment and its integration into healthcare can bring cascading benefits and synergies to mental and cognitive health and well-being and address the social and economic burden of the mental health crises.

Unraveling the longitudinal relationships between connectedness to nature, depressive symptoms, and learning burnout in adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Following the conservation of resource theory and natural stress reduction theory, the current study investigated mediated pathways, reverse mediated pathways, and reciprocal pathways between connectedness to nature, depressive symptoms, and adolescent learning burnout via a half-longitudinal analysis, and discussed gender differences in the three models.

METHODS

Two waves of data were collected in December 2022 (T1) and June 2023 (T2) for this study. The sample consisted of 1092 Chinese adolescents (52.20% girls, Mage = 13.03, SD = 1.43). Semi-longitudinal analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between connectedness to nature, depressive symptoms, and adolescent academic burnout.

RESULTS

The results indicated that connectedness to nature can serve as a positive resource to alleviate the levels of depressive symptoms among adolescents and thereby decrease learning burnout. However, the protective effect of connectedness to nature was smaller, and the decreasing effect of learning burnout on connectedness to nature was stronger than the alleviating effect of connectedness to nature on learning burnout. Additionally, the study found that depressive symptoms and academic burnout have a mutually reinforcing effect over time and that the effects of this interaction are more pronounced in females.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study emphasizes the protective role of nature connectedness and the detrimental effects of learning burnout in adolescents.

Does nature-based social prescription improve mental health outcomes? A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A nature-based social prescription (NBSP) is an approach to improving mental health outcomes that involves prescribing nature-based interventions as complementary or alternative therapy to traditional ones. A variety of advantages are available from NBSP for people looking to enhance their mental well-being. The effect size of the nature-based social prescriptions (NBSPs) has not been thoroughly evaluated by systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

OBJECTIVES

The current study aimed to analyze existing studies and conduct a meta-analysis to determine the overall effect size of the nature-based social prescriptions (NBSP's) outcomes on mental health.

METHODS

By choosing the relevant papers from among those that were available, a meta-analysis was carried out in the current study. A systematic search of electronic databases (Pub Med, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, and PsychINFO) was conducted to identify relevant studies. Studies were included if they evaluated the effects of NBSP on mental health outcomes. Effect sizes were calculated using the random effects model.

RESULTS

Meta-analysis of interventions statistics shows that CBT (SMD -0.0035; 95% CI: [-0.5090; 0.5020]; Tau^2: 0.1011; Tau: 0.318), digital intervention (SMD -0.3654; 95% CI: [-0.5258; 1.2566]; Tau^2: 0.2976, Tau: 0.5455), music intervention (SMD -2.1281; 95% CI: [-0.4659; 4.7221]; Tau^2: 3.4046; Tau:1.8452), and psychological interventions (SMD -0.8529; 95% CI: [0.3051; 1.4007]; Tau^2: 0.1224; Tau: 0.3499) do not significantly impact. The other interventions [social belongingness, communication training, blue intervention, nature-based education, cognitive behavior group therapy (CBGT), social prescribing coordinator, self-help intervention, participatory, organizational intervention, inpatient services, brief diet, internet-based intervention, prenatal intervention, yoga and meditation, ergonomics training program, yoga nidra intervention, and storytelling] highlighted above are significant.

CONCLUSION

The conclusion of the meta-analysis supports the idea that incorporating nature-based social prescription interventions into mental healthcare plans can effectively complement traditional therapies and improve mental health outcomes.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023412458, CRD42023412458.

Effects of an Integrative Day Care Clinic Program with a Focus on Nature Therapy in a Hospital Park Setting on Quality of Life in Oncological Patients-A Non-Randomized Controlled Study

Cancer often causes long-term physical and psychological impairments. Lifestyle modification and nature-based interventions (NBIs) can have a positive impact on patients' quality of life (QOL). This participants-blinded, non-randomized controlled study assessed parameters at weeks 0, 12, and 24, including, as a primary endpoint, QOL in cancer patients on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) at week 12. QOL in breast cancer patients, fatigue, well-being, stress, anxiety/depression, socio-psychological well-being, benefits of nature interaction, insomnia, self-efficacy, mindfulness, and self-compassion were assessed as secondary endpoints. N = 107 cancer patients (96.3% women; 52.5 ± 9.3 years, 80.4% breast cancer) were assigned to either a 12-week nature-based (NDC; n = 56) or conventional (DC; n = 51) oncology day care clinic program, whereby the assignment group was not known to the participants. There was no significant group difference for the primary endpoint. At week 24, QOL, fatigue, mindfulness and self-compassion scores were significantly higher, and at weeks 12 and 24, the insomnia score was significantly lower in NDC compared to DC. In conclusion, this study indicates positive and clinically relevant effects of the program on QOL, fatigue, and psychological parameters. NBIs seem to have a more pronounced effect.