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Freymueller J, Schmid HL, Senkler B, Lopez Lumbi S, Zerbe S, Hornberg C, McCall T. Current methodologies of greenspace exposure and mental health research-a scoping review. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1360134. [PMID: 38510363 PMCID: PMC10951718 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1360134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Greenspaces can provide an important resource for human mental health. A growing body of literature investigates the interaction and the influence of diverse greenspace exposures. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the complex connection between greenspace and mental health, a variety of perspectives and methodological combinations are needed. The aim of this review is to assess the current methodologies researching greenspace and mental health. Methods A scoping review was conducted. Four electronic databases (Pubmed, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science) were searched for relevant studies. A wide range of greenspace and mental health keywords were included to provide a comprehensive representation of the body of research. Relevant information on publication characteristics, types of greenspaces, mental health outcomes, and measurements of greenspace exposure and mental health was extracted and assessed. Results 338 studies were included. The included studies encompassed a multitude of methods, as well as outcomes for both greenspace and mental health. 28 combinations were found between seven categories each for greenspace and mental health assessment. Some pairings such as geoinformation systems for greenspace assessment and questionnaires investigating mental health were used much more frequently than others, implying possible research gaps. Furthermore, we identified problems and inconsistences in reporting of greenspace types and mental health outcomes. Discussion The identified methodological variety is a potential for researching the complex connections between greenspace and mental health. Commonly used combinations can provide important insights. However, future research needs to emphasize other perspectives in order to understand how to create living environments with mental health benefits. For this purpose, interdisciplinary research is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julius Freymueller
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Hannah-Lea Schmid
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Ben Senkler
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Susanne Lopez Lumbi
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Stefan Zerbe
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
- Institute of Geography, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Claudia Hornberg
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Timothy McCall
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- School of Public Health, Department of Environment and Health, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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Li J, Luo J, Deng T, Tian J, Wang H. Exploring perceived restoration, landscape perception, and place attachment in historical districts: insights from diverse visitors. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1156207. [PMID: 37599732 PMCID: PMC10433909 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1156207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Improving the quality of the built environment to enhance people's mental health is gaining traction across various fields, precipitating valuable actions on the wave of "Healthy China 2030" initiative. While ample studies have confirmed the benefits of interaction with natural or green spaces, the investigation into the restorative potential in urban built settings remains notably underexplored. In this study, we focused on historical districts, conducting a questionnaire survey to evaluate the restorative experiences of individuals visiting these sites. We used Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyze a conceptual model that encompasses landscape perception, place attachment, and perceived restoration, with a specific focus on detecting the mediating role of place attachment and the moderating influence of visitor groups. The results showed that landscape perception significantly influenced the perceived restoration, which contained the indirect effect pathway through place dependence and place identity, as well as the potent direct impact of landscape perception. Moreover, employing a multi-group analysis (MGA), we discerned that different visitor groups partially moderate the relationship between landscape perception, place attachment, and perceived restoration. This study validates the restorative features in historic districts and highlights the importance of cognitive-emotional bond in promoting psychological restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Li
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Junjie Luo
- College of Landscape Architecture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tangmin Deng
- The Bureau of Agriculture and Rural of Chengdu Wenjiang District, Chengdu, China
| | - Jingwen Tian
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongcheng Wang
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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Theodorou A, Spano G, Bratman GN, Monneron K, Sanesi G, Carrus G, Imperatori C, Panno A. Emotion regulation and virtual nature: cognitive reappraisal as an individual-level moderator for impacts on subjective vitality. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5028. [PMID: 36977705 PMCID: PMC10043509 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30287-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
People who make habitual use of an emotion regulation strategy such as cognitive reappraisal may be more sensitive to the emotion cues coming from a surrounding natural environment and, thus, get more benefits from virtual nature exposure such as enhanced subjective vitality. However, no previous study investigated the moderating role of cognitive reappraisal in the relationship between exposure to different types of natural environments (a national park, a lacustrine environment, and an arctic environment vs. an urban environment) and subjective vitality. We designed a between-subject design (four conditions, one per type of environment) with a sample of 187 university students (Mage = 21.17, SD = 2.55). Participants were exposed to four 360° panoramic photos of the environment for one minute each with a virtual reality head-mounted display. The results of a multicategorical moderation analysis attested that there were two significant interactions, respectively between lacustrine and arctic environments and cognitive reappraisal. More specifically, for participants with low levels of habitual use of cognitive reappraisal, the effects of virtual nature (vs. urban) exposure on subjective vitality were not significant, while for participants with high levels, the effects were significant and positive. Findings show how the potential of virtual nature may be boosted with training aimed at increasing the general use of cognitive reappraisal, supports enhancing the applications of virtual nature, and demonstrates the need to take individual differences into account when determining the benefits of these applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Theodorou
- Department of Education, Roma Tre University, 20 Via del Castro Pretorio, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giuseppina Spano
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Gregory N Bratman
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Kevin Monneron
- Geographic Research and Application Laboratory (GREAL), European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Sanesi
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Carrus
- Department of Education, Roma Tre University, 20 Via del Castro Pretorio, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Angelo Panno
- Department of Human Science, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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Guo W, Wen H, Liu X. Research on the psychologically restorative effects of campus common spaces from the perspective of health. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1131180. [PMID: 37124769 PMCID: PMC10135307 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1131180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Contemporary college students are suffering from increasingly serious psychological health problems, such as attention fatigue, psychological stress and negative emotions. A growing body of evidence has revealed that restorative environment design is conducive to psychological health. As the main choice of venue for students' daily activities, campus common spaces are supposed to be restorative to some extent. Given the above, the author studied 22 common spaces in the South China University of Technology (SCUT) Wushan Campus from the perspective of college students' behavioral patterns based on theories pertaining to restorative environments, then constructed a structural equation model (SEM) analyzing the psychologically restorative effects exerted by the characteristics of campus common spaces upon college students through a scale design and questionnaire survey. With the analysis of 478 valid questionnaires, the research found that the characteristics of campus common spaces with psychologically restorative effects mainly comprise the architectural environment, landscape environment, rest facilities and activity facilities. Among them, the characteristics of activity facilities and the landscape environment have the greatest impact on psychologically restorative effects, accounting for 33 and 30% of the total effects, respectively; they are followed by those of the architectural environment, which accounts for 21% of the total effects; those of the rest facilities have the least impact, accounting for 16% of the total effects. The research also found that the characteristics of campus common spaces can both directly influence college students' psychological recovery and produce psychologically restorative effects mediated by college students' behavioral patterns. The mediation effect of college students' behavioral patterns accounts for approximately 41% of the total effect of psychological restoration, in which the psychologically restorative effect of dynamic exercise behaviors is 2.5 times that of static leisure behaviors. The research reveals how the characteristics of campus common spaces promote the psychological restoration of college students, and it provides inspiration for healthy environment design in campus common spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihong Guo
- School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building Science, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd., South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Wen
- School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building Science, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd., South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiao Liu,
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Scott EE, Crabtree KW, McDonnell AS, LoTemplio SB, McNay GD, Strayer DL. Measuring affect and complex working memory in natural and urban environments. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1039334. [PMID: 36949906 PMCID: PMC10026564 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1039334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Research suggests that spending time in natural environments is associated with cognitive and affective benefits, while increased use of technology and time spent in urban environments are associated with depletion of cognitive resources and an increasing prevalence of mental illness. Attention Restoration Theory suggests that exposure to natural environments can restore depleted attentional resources and thereby improve cognitive functioning and mood. Specifically, recent meta-analyses have revealed that the most improved cognitive abilities after nature exposure include selective attention, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Methods While existing studies examined these cognitive abilities, few have examined the Operation Span (OSPAN), a complex measure of working memory capacity. Therefore, the current study (N = 100) compared performance on the OSPAN and self-reported mood using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule before and after a 30-min walk in a natural or urban environment. Results Results from the study showed that both groups exhibited an increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect, suggesting that going outside for a walk can boost mood regardless of environment type. Inconsistent with past work, there were no significant changes in OSPAN scores before and after the walk for either environment type. Discussion Future studies should analyze how the length of time spent in the environment, certain characteristics of the environment, and individual differences in connectedness to nature may impact attention restoration to gain insight on nature's ability to improve our affect and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E. Scott
- Department of Psychological Science, Vermont State University, Johnson, VT, United States
- *Correspondence: Emily E. Scott,
| | - Kaedyn W. Crabtree
- Department of Psychology, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Amy S. McDonnell
- Department of Psychology, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Sara B. LoTemplio
- Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Glen D. McNay
- Department of Psychology, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - David L. Strayer
- Department of Psychology, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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The impact of restorative green environment on mental health of big cities and the role of mental health professionals. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2022; 35:186-191. [PMID: 35579872 DOI: 10.1097/yco.0000000000000778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To provide an update on insights into the effectiveness of the green environment and forest on the mental health of city dwellers; and the role of mental health professionals in advocating green restorative therapies. RECENT FINDINGS The studies reviewed in this paper confirmed the mental health benefits on individuals who engaged in the green environment and forest. Results of studies showed that the participants reported significantly higher positive effects. However, it is difficult to compare studies because of marked differences in methodology and often lack of biological markers. With the recent global concern about climate warming, mental health professionals have a critical role to influence city planners on the importance of the green environment and the forest. In Singapore, the 'Therapeutic Garden' project and 'Therapeutic Rainforest' program are examples of mental health professionals working with government agencies for a 'city in nature'. SUMMARY The benefits of the green environment and forest are emphasized especially on the psychological well being. In the light of the danger of climate warming, this review highlights the need for city planners to collaborate with mental health professionals to incorporate high-quality green spaces when planning the city of the future. There is an urgent need for better consultation between health agencies and local city government to create an appealing and diverse green environment within the city.
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Alves S, Betrabet Gulwadi G, Nilsson P. An Exploration of How Biophilic Attributes on Campuses Might Support Student Connectedness to Nature, Others, and Self. Front Psychol 2022; 12:793175. [PMID: 35498153 PMCID: PMC9043241 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.793175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
University Campuses remain important settings for nurturing and supporting student health and quality of life (QoL). Research shows the health benefits of nature experiences may be facilitated by campus spaces and activities that afford connectedness. Connectedness to nature, others, and self may allow students to cope with mental fatigue, stress, and a constant need for restoration. Despite recent encouraging trends, we still lack an integrative conceptual framework to describe the mechanisms involved in achieving connectedness for making recommendations for campus design. In this conceptual review, we examine students' connectedness in campus settings in relation to biophilic elements and attributes. We aim to understand how both direct and indirect pursuits in nature and also place-based experiences on campus foster connectedness and consequently impact students' health and QoL. Our analysis shows that connectedness seen through the lens of Kellert's biophilic design principles and aided by Alexander's pattern language provides a relational and long-term perspective on recommending strategies for connecting students to nature, to others, and to themselves in campus settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Alves
- Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi
- School of Applied Human Sciences, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, United States
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