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Thomas T, Aggar C, Baker J, Massey D, Thomas M, D’Appio D, Brymer E. Social prescribing of nature therapy for adults with mental illness living in the community: A scoping review of peer-reviewed international evidence. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1041675. [PMID: 36562055 PMCID: PMC9765656 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1041675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social prescribing of nature therapy "green social prescribing" facilitates access to local nature-based activities that improve biopsychosocial wellbeing outcomes, are affordable, accessible, and can be adapted to context. These are becoming increasingly popular and gray literature is emerging, however, peer-reviewed scientific evidence is exiguous. This scoping review aimed to identify and critique peer-reviewed evidence for green social prescribing interventions and develop recommendations for research and clinical practice. Included studies were published in peer-reviewed journals in English on/after 1 January 2000. Participants were community-living adults with mental illness; Intervention was any green social prescribing program; Comparator was not restricted/required; Outcomes were any biopsychosocial measures; and any/all Study Designs were included. Twelve databases were searched on 15 October 2022; these were Academic Search Premier, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, JSTOR, ProQuest, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess quality. Seven publications describing 6 unique studies (5 UK, 1 Australia) were identified including 3 mixed-methods, 2 qualitative, and 1 RCT. Participants included 334 adults (45% female, aged 35-70 years); sample sizes ranged from 9 to 164. All studies showed improvements in biopsychosocial wellbeing, and participants from most studies (n = 5) reported increased connection to the earth and intention to further access nature. Participant demographics and diagnoses were poorly reported, and intervention activities and assessments varied considerably. However, MMAT scores were good overall suggesting these studies may reliably demonstrate intervention outcomes. We conclude that socially prescribed nature therapy can improve biopsychosocial wellbeing and is a potentially important intervention for mental illness. Recommendations for research and clinical practice are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamsin Thomas
- Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Bilinga, QLD, Australia
| | - Christina Aggar
- Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Bilinga, QLD, Australia
- Northern NSW Local Health District, Lismore, NSW, Australia
| | - James Baker
- Primary and Community Care Services, Thornleigh, NSW, Australia
| | - Debbie Massey
- Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Bilinga, QLD, Australia
| | - Megan Thomas
- Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Keiraville, NSW, Australia
| | - Daniel D’Appio
- Primary and Community Care Services, Thornleigh, NSW, Australia
| | - Eric Brymer
- Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Bilinga, QLD, Australia
- Manna Institute, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
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Shin S, Browning MH, Dzhambov AM. Window Access to Nature Restores: A Virtual Reality Experiment with Greenspace Views, Sounds, and Smells. ECOPSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1089/eco.2021.0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Seunguk Shin
- Virtual Reality and Nature Lab, Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Matthew H.E.M. Browning
- Virtual Reality and Nature Lab, Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Angel M. Dzhambov
- Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
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3
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Lee DG, Lee MM, Jeong YM, Kim JG, Yoon YK, Shin WS. Influence of Forest Visitors' Perceived Restorativeness on Social-Psychological Stress. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:6328. [PMID: 34208025 PMCID: PMC8296131 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18126328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This study was conducted to verify the perceived restorativeness of citizens visiting forests on social-psychological stress and psychological resilience according to forest space type. The study involved a questionnaire survey conducted on citizens who visited forests between 1 May and 15 July 2020, when social distancing in daily life was being implemented. Three types of forest spaces (urban forest, national park, and natural recreation forest) were selected for the survey. They used the survey results of 1196 people as analysis data for this study. In this study, the PRS (Perceived Restorativeness Scale) and the PWI-SF (Psychosocial Well-being Index Short Form) were used to evaluate perceived restorativeness and social-psychological stress of citizens visiting forests. In the study, the average score of visitors' perceived restorativeness was 5.31 ± 0.77. Social-psychological stress was found in the healthy group, potential stress group, and high-risk group. These groups made up 8.0%, 82.5%, and 9.5% of the respondents, respectively. Pearson's correlation analysis between perceived restorativeness and social-psychological stress revealed that the higher the perceived restorativeness, the lower the social-psychological stress. "Diversion Mood", "Not bored", and "Coherence", which are the sub-factors of perceived restorativeness according to the forest space type, were found to have meaningful results for psychological resilience. However, there was no significant difference in the forest space type between "Compatibility" and social-psychological stress, which are sub-factors of perceived restorativeness. In conclusion, the forest space type affects the psychological resilience of those who visit the forest. Urban forests, national parks, and natural recreation forests are places to reduce stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don-Gak Lee
- Graduated Department of Forest Therapy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (D.-G.L.); (M.-M.L.); (Y.-M.J.)
| | - Mi-Mi Lee
- Graduated Department of Forest Therapy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (D.-G.L.); (M.-M.L.); (Y.-M.J.)
| | - Young-Mi Jeong
- Graduated Department of Forest Therapy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (D.-G.L.); (M.-M.L.); (Y.-M.J.)
| | - Jin-Gun Kim
- Graduated Department of Forest Therapy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (D.-G.L.); (M.-M.L.); (Y.-M.J.)
| | - Yung-Kyoon Yoon
- Department of Forest Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea;
| | - Won-Sop Shin
- Department of Forest Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea;
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4
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Feng N, Zhang A, Cui L, Zeng H, Mankad A. Effects of neighbourhood social cohesion and need for restoration on restorative experiences. ASIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ajsp.12420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ningning Feng
- The School of Psychology and Cognitive Science East China Normal University Shanghai China
| | - Airong Zhang
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Lijuan Cui
- The School of Psychology and Cognitive Science East China Normal University Shanghai China
| | - Huaming Zeng
- The School of Psychology and Cognitive Science East China Normal University Shanghai China
| | - Aditi Mankad
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Brisbane Queensland Australia
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Yeo N, White M, Alcock I, Garside R, Dean S, Smalley A, Gatersleben B. What is the best way of delivering virtual nature for improving mood? An experimental comparison of high definition TV, 360° video, and computer generated virtual reality. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 72:101500. [PMID: 33390641 PMCID: PMC7772948 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2020.101500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to 'real' nature can increase positive affect and decrease negative affect, but direct access is not always possible, e.g. for people in health/care settings who often experience chronic boredom. In these settings 'virtual' forms of nature may also have mood-related benefits (e.g. reducing boredom) but it has been difficult to separate effects of nature content from those of delivery mode. The present laboratory-based study explored whether exposure to three different delivery modes of virtual nature could reduce negative affect (including boredom) and/or increase positive affect. Adult volunteer participants (n = 96) took part in a boredom induction task (to simulate the emotional state of many people in health/care settings) before being randomly assigned to view/interact with a virtual underwater coral reef in one of three experimental conditions: (a) 2D video viewed on a high-definition TV screen; (b) 3600 video VR (360-VR) viewed via a head mounted display (HMD); or (c) interactive computer-generated VR (CG-VR), also viewed via a HMD and interacted with using a hand-held controller. Visual and auditory content was closely matched across conditions with help from the BBC's Blue Planet II series team. Supporting predictions, virtual exposure to a coral reef reduced boredom and negative affect and increased positive affect and nature connectedness. Although reductions in boredom and negative affect were similar across all three conditions, CG-VR was associated with significantly greater improvements in positive affect than TV, which were mediated by greater experienced presence and increases in nature connectedness. Results improve our understanding of the importance of virtual nature delivery mode and will inform studies in real care settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- N.L. Yeo
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD, UK
- Corresponding author. European Centre for Environment and Human Health, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD, E, UK.
| | - M.P. White
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD, UK
- Urban and Environmental Psychology Group, Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - I. Alcock
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD, UK
| | - R. Garside
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD, UK
| | - S.G. Dean
- NIHR CLAHRC South West Peninsula, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX1 2LU, UK
- Clinical Trials Unit, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Devon, EX1 2LU, UK
| | - A.J. Smalley
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD, UK
| | - B. Gatersleben
- Environmental Psychology Research Group, School of Psychology, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK
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Brymer E, Araújo D, Davids K, Pepping GJ. Conceptualizing the Human Health Outcomes of Acting in Natural Environments: An Ecological Perspective. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1362. [PMID: 32765336 PMCID: PMC7378676 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-nature interactions have been presented as important for promoting and sustaining wellbeing and health benefits. Research has shown that pictures of nature, interacting with nature, physical activity in nature, immersion in nature and even feeling connected to nature can improve health. While considerable research supports this notion that nature can have positive health impact, theoretical and conceptual frameworks that help explain how the natural environment provides benefits to human health and wellbeing have proved limited. In extreme cases, theoretical approaches reinforce a problematic notion where nature is viewed as a separate entity, as a treatment to be taken as prescribed to remediate health problems that arise. Such approaches are limited as they fail to address how beneficial person-nature relations may be captured in interventions. There is a need for a deeper understanding of the processes underlying the observed benefits of the person-nature link in order to design effective research and interventions. It is especially important to consider the implications of research on person-nature relations for people living in urban contexts. In this paper, we present an ecological perspective building on James Gibson's conceptualization of human behavior. Specifically, we outline a framework that emphasizes the person-environment system as the most appropriate scale of analysis. We present three relevant concepts from the ecological approach: form of life, affordances and niche construction, as helpful for appreciating how acting in natural environments might benefit human health and wellbeing. This approach urges policy makers and urban designers to rethink environmental designs to provide and support a landscape of affordances that makes use of the richness of natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Brymer
- Australian College of Applied Psychology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Duarte Araújo
- CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Keith Davids
- Human Performance and Sport, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Gert-Jan Pepping
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the psychophysiological effects of different restoration need-inducing methods and the changes in these effects overtime. This study adopted a randomized controlled trial to assign participants (experiment 1: n = 120, experiment 2: n = 90) to four experimental treatments: control, imagined fatigue, the Stroop task and the binary classification task, and the Markus and Peters arithmetic test. We used self-report scales (The Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance emotion scale, The Well-being Measures, and The Restoration Scale) and an attention test (backward digit span) as pre- and posttests, and a physiological measuring device to continually assess participants' bodily mobilizations. The results showed that the Stroop task and the binary classification task as well as the Markus and Peters arithmetic test more significantly increased the arousal of subjective perception and decreased restoration than the control and imagined fatigue, and the physiological influences of the methods varied overtime with no definitive trend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-Tsung Han
- Department of Landscape Architecture, 63372National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung
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Bratman GN, Anderson CB, Berman MG, Cochran B, de Vries S, Flanders J, Folke C, Frumkin H, Gross JJ, Hartig T, Kahn PH, Kuo M, Lawler JJ, Levin PS, Lindahl T, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Mitchell R, Ouyang Z, Roe J, Scarlett L, Smith JR, van den Bosch M, Wheeler BW, White MP, Zheng H, Daily GC. Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaax0903. [PMID: 31355340 PMCID: PMC6656547 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax0903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 449] [Impact Index Per Article: 89.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of empirical evidence is revealing the value of nature experience for mental health. With rapid urbanization and declines in human contact with nature globally, crucial decisions must be made about how to preserve and enhance opportunities for nature experience. Here, we first provide points of consensus across the natural, social, and health sciences on the impacts of nature experience on cognitive functioning, emotional well-being, and other dimensions of mental health. We then show how ecosystem service assessments can be expanded to include mental health, and provide a heuristic, conceptual model for doing so.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory N. Bratman
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Center for Creative Conservation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- The Natural Capital Project, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Christopher B. Anderson
- Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Marc G. Berman
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Grossman Institute for Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology, and Human Behavior, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | | | - Sjerp de Vries
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Jon Flanders
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Bat Conservation International, Austin, TX 78746, USA
| | - Carl Folke
- Global Economic Dynamics and the Biosphere, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Beijer Institute, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Howard Frumkin
- Wellcome Trust, London, UK
- School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - James J. Gross
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Terry Hartig
- Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter H. Kahn
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ming Kuo
- Landscape and Human Health Laboratory, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Joshua J. Lawler
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Center for Creative Conservation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Phillip S. Levin
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Center for Creative Conservation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- The Nature Conservancy, Seattle, WA 98121, USA
| | - Therese Lindahl
- Beijer Institute, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Richard Mitchell
- Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Health, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Zhiyun Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jenny Roe
- Center for Design and Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey R. Smith
- Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Matilda van den Bosch
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Benedict W. Wheeler
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | - Mathew P. White
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | - Hua Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Gretchen C. Daily
- Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- The Natural Capital Project, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Stanford Woods Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Schweitzer RD, Glab H, Brymer E. The Human-Nature Experience: A Phenomenological-Psychoanalytic Perspective. Front Psychol 2018; 9:969. [PMID: 29962988 PMCID: PMC6010571 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Drawing upon phenomenology and psychoanalytic concepts, we explore and explicate participants' lived experience of the natural world. The authors draw upon Husserl's description of consciousness as intentionality and his later work on the life-world, in exploring experiences which provide a basis for a psychochoanalytic understanding of the human-nature experience. Unstructured interviews were undertaken with nine participants, each of whom regarded nature as being significant for their sense of wellbeing. The lived experiences were explicated drawing upon the two processes: Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological psychological methodology and psychoanalytic researcher reflexivity. Data analysis and explication involved the following steps: (1) a thorough reading of each interview transcript, (2) breaking data into parts by demarcating meaning units, (3) organizing data by translating meaning units into units of psychological experience through coding, and (4) arriving at a summary of the data which involved organizing and reviewing units of psychological experience. The process of reflection led to the formulation of an essential psychological structure of participants' lived experience of the natural world. We argue that the human-nature relationship can be conceived in terms of psychoanalytic concepts, and in particular, constructs based upon an understanding of the primacy of attachment relationships. The natural world is elucidated as (a) nature being experienced as a primary attachment, (b) nature experienced as a secure base, (c) nature experienced as twinship, (d) nature experienced as containing, and (e) nature experienced as embodied. This paper extends previous empirical descriptions of the human-nature relationship by incorporating psychoanalytic processes and theory into a theoretically informed qualitative methodological stance. Beyond the traditional notion of nature as something 'out there' that we can interact with for cognitive or emotional restoration, participants in this study described the experience of nature as being integral to their sense of self. This study suggests that experiences that facilitate immersion in nature provide opportunities for the development of an integrated sense of self that has a profound impact on a participant's sense of wellbeing. The findings further demonstrate the convergence between phenomenology and psychoanalytic constructs which offers a richness to our understanding the subjectivity of participants and their relationship with nature, a perspective not often attainable through more traditional quantitative research methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert D. Schweitzer
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Harriet Glab
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Eric Brymer
- Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom
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Lymeus F, Lindberg P, Hartig T. Building mindfulness bottom-up: Meditation in natural settings supports open monitoring and attention restoration. Conscious Cogn 2018; 59:40-56. [PMID: 29438869 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Mindfulness courses conventionally use effortful, focused meditation to train attention. In contrast, natural settings can effortlessly support state mindfulness and restore depleted attention resources, which could facilitate meditation. We performed two studies that compared conventional training with restoration skills training (ReST) that taught low-effort open monitoring meditation in a garden over five weeks. Assessments before and after meditation on multiple occasions showed that ReST meditation increasingly enhanced attention performance. Conventional meditation enhanced attention initially but increasingly incurred effort, reflected in performance decrements toward the course end. With both courses, attentional improvements generalized in the first weeks of training. Against established accounts, the generalized improvements thus occurred before any effort was incurred by the conventional exercises. We propose that restoration rather than attention training can account for early attentional improvements with meditation. ReST holds promise as an undemanding introduction to mindfulness and as a method to enhance restoration in nature contacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freddie Lymeus
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Box 1225, SE-751 42 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Per Lindberg
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Box 1225, SE-751 42 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Terry Hartig
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Box 1225, SE-751 42 Uppsala, Sweden; Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Box 514, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden.
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Stevenson MP, Schilhab T, Bentsen P. Attention Restoration Theory II: a systematic review to clarify attention processes affected by exposure to natural environments. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2018; 21:227-268. [PMID: 30130463 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2018.1505571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Attention Restoration Theory (ART) predicts exposure to natural environments may lead to improved cognitive performance through restoration of a limited cognitive resource, directed attention. A recent review by Ohly and colleagues (2016) uncovered substantial ambiguity surrounding details of directed attention and how cognitive restoration was tested. Therefore, an updated systematic review was conducted to identify relevant cognitive domains from which to describe elements of directed attention sensitive to the restoration effect. Forty-two articles that tested natural environments or stimuli against a suitable control, and included an objective measure of cognitive performance, had been published since July 2013. Articles were subjected to screening procedures and quality appraisal. Random effects meta-analyses were performed to calculate pooled effect sizes across 8 cognitive domains using data from 49 individual outcome measures. Results showed that working memory, cognitive flexibility, and to a less-reliable degree, attentional control, are improved after exposure to natural environments, with low to moderate effect sizes. Moderator analyses revealed that actual exposures to real environments may enhance the restoration effect within these three domains, relative to virtual exposures; however, this may also be due to differences in the typical lengths of exposure. The effect of a participants' restoration potential, based upon diagnosis or fatigue-induction, was less clear. A new framework is presented to qualify the involvement of directed attention-related processes, using examples of tasks from the three cognitive domains found to be sensitive to the restoration effect. The review clarifies the description of cognitive processes sensitive to natural environments, using current evidence, while exploring aspects of protocol that appear influential to the strength of the restoration effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt P Stevenson
- a Centre for Outdoor Recreation and Education , University of Copenhagen , Fredensborg , Denmark
| | - Theresa Schilhab
- b Future Technology, Culture, and Learning, Department of Education , University of Aarhus , Copenhagen , NV , Denmark
| | - Peter Bentsen
- a Centre for Outdoor Recreation and Education , University of Copenhagen , Fredensborg , Denmark
- c Health Promotion Research , Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen , Gentofte , Denmark
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