Objectives To evaluate the effect of a forest experience on the levels of depression of alcoholics. Methods Prior to the study, 92 alcoholics were divided into treatment and control groups. During the summer of 2009, the treatment group participated in a series of forest therapy programs, while the control group followed their normal daily routines. Both groups were re-tested upon completion of the program by the treatment group and the depression levels compared. Results There was a significant improvement in the depression level of alcoholics who had participated in the forest camp program (treatment group). Those participants in their 40s who had severe levels of depression at the beginning of the program showed the most significant improvement during the program experience. Conclusion The forest therapy camp experience can considerably reduce and ameliorate the depression levels of alcoholics.

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The aims of this study were twofold: to examine the empirical evidence supporting the positive contribution that a forest environment can make on human psychological health and well-being and to describe the theoretical framework within which the forest environment has this effect. Our review of the literature provides empirical evidence that a forest experience can contribute to improved emotional and cognitive health.This experience can be through a forest activity program and by experiencing the social and physical conditions of the forest environment and the therapeutic elements of the forest. Visiting or viewing a forest scene has been documented to have a positive effect on psychological healing and well-being in terms of recovering from stress, improving concentration and productivity, improving the psychological state, particularly for people from urban environments. Wilderness and related studies clearly demonstrate that being in a forest environment has a positive effect on people, while results from other studies indicate that contacts with forest environments provide multiple positive physiological and psychological effects on human health that included decreasing the blood pressure and heart rate and reducing anxiety and stress. There are several theories explaining the healing effects of the forest on human beings. Most hypothesize that restorative environments are settings in which recovery is associated with the reduction of stress and that the benefits of contact with natures include a wide range of positive physiological and psychological responses. These theories are based on an evolutionary perspective and share a number of similarities and differences. This article summarizes a number of these theories of restorative environments as well as addresses the current status of forest therapy and the challenges and opportunities for therapeutic effects of the forest in Korea.

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The main purpose of this study was to analyze synthetically researches and draw up guidelines direction on aromatherapy. To analyze the data, we selected 29 previous studies which is related with the aromatherapy. Effect sizes on the moderating variables, dependent variables and the whole of aromatherapy were calculated by using the CMA (Comprehensive Meta-Analysis) program. This study implemented meta analysis by using the random-effects model as the results of homogeneity test had statistically significant effect. We found that the overall effect size of 121 from selected studies had upper-middling effects at the level of .678. The effect size of general groups as a study participants had an effect than patient groups at the level of .751. The effect size of dry inhalation as a method inhaling aroma had an effect than diffusion inhalation at the level of .684. And also the effect sizes of period experiments (21-30day), number of time (11-15 time), time once per experiment (2minutes), dependant variables(psychology response) yield effects .905, 1.095, 1.332 and .768 respectively. As the result, this study implies a way which is to derive effectively further studies on the aroma therapy.