In recent decades, there has been increasing interest in (re)connecting people with nature to foster sustainability outcomes. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting a relationship between connection with nature and pro-environmental behaviors. Connection with nature has often been conceptualized as a unidimensional construct, and although recent evidence suggests that it is multidimensional, there is ongoing debate regarding the dimensions that make up connection with nature. Existing multidimensional connection with nature instruments capture similar dimensions, yet they are lengthy and may not have practical application in real-world contexts. This research sought to clarify the dimensions of connection with nature and to develop and validate an abbreviated yet multidimensional connection with nature instrumentthe CN-12. Analyses of two large datasets revealed three dimensions of connection with nature-identity, experience, and philosophy. Results suggested that the CN-12 and its three dimensions are positively correlated with: (1) environmental and altruistic values; (2) time spent in nature; and (3) a range of pro-environmental behaviors. Results also suggested that the CN-12 and its three dimensions are stable over time and are positively correlated with two existing multidimensional connection with nature instruments, the Nature Relatedness (NR) Scale and Environmental Identity (EID) Scale. The utility of the CN-12 for exploring human connections with nature and the role of fostering connection with nature to increase engagement in pro-environmental behaviors are discussed.

The conservation profession is increasingly seeking effective ways to reduce societal impact on biodiversity, including through targeted behavior change interventions. Multiple conservation behavior change programs exist, but there is also great uncertainty regarding which behaviors are most strategic to target. Behavioral prioritization is a tool that has been used effectively to support behavior change decision‐making in other environmental disciplines and more recently for a small sub‐set of biodiversity behavior change challenges. Here, we use behavioral prioritization to identify individual behaviors that could be modified to achieve biodiversity benefits in the state of Victoria, Australia. We use an adapted nominal group technique method to identify potential biodiversity behaviors and, for each behavior, estimate the corresponding plasticity (or capacity for change) and positive impact on biodiversity outcomes. We elicited 27 behaviors that individuals could undertake to benefit or reduce their negative impact on biodiversity. This list was then used to prioritize 10 behaviors as determined by their likely effect(s) on biodiversity, plasticity, and current prevalence in Victoria. We take a first step in outlining a list of behaviors that can direct Victorian decision‐makers toward increasing positive and reducing negative impacts of society on biodiversity, guide motivated individuals to reduce their own biodiversity footprint, and more broadly, develop a behavior change research agenda for behaviors most likely to benefit biodiversity.

Summary Virtual reality‐delivered psychological therapies have recently been investigated as non‐pharmacological management for acute and chronic pain. However, no virtual reality pain therapy software existed that met the needs of cancer patients with neuropathic pain. We created a bespoke virtual reality‐delivered pain therapy software programme to help cancer patients manage neuropathic pain incorporating guided visualisation and progressive muscle relaxation techniques, whilst minimising the risk of cybersickness in this vulnerable patient population. This randomised controlled pilot study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, recruitment rates and risk of cybersickness of this pain therapy software programme. Clinical outcomes including opioid consumption, pain severity, pain interference and global quality of life scores were secondary aims. Of 87 eligible cancer patients with neuropathic pain, 39 were recruited (47%), allocated to either the intervention (20 patients, virtual reality pain therapy software programme) or control (19 patients, viewing virtual reality videos). Four patients withdrew before the 3‐month follow‐up (all in the control group). Pre‐existing dizziness (Spearman ρ 0.37, p = 0.02) and pre‐existing nausea (Spearman ρ 0.81, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with risk of cybersickness in both groups. Patients in the intervention group reported less cybersickness, as well as tolerated and completed all therapy sessions. At 1‐ and 3‐month follow‐up, there were trends in the intervention group towards reductions in: oral morphine equivalent daily dose opioid consumption (−8 mg and −4 mg; vs. control: 0 mg and +15 mg respectively); modified Brief Pain Inventory pain severity (−0.4, −0.8; vs. control +0.4, −0.3); and pain interference (−0.9, −1.8; vs. control −0.2, −0.3) scores. The global quality of life subscale from the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire‐C30 was not significantly changed between groups at 1 and 3 months (intervention: −5, −8; vs. control: +3, +4). This newly created virtual reality‐delivered pain therapy software programme was shown to be feasible and acceptable to cancer patients with neuropathic pain. These results will aid the design of a definitive multicentre randomised controlled trial.

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