The New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale adapted for use with children (NEP-C) is one of the most frequently used measures of children's environmental beliefs. Though widely utilized, the limitations of the NEP-C instrument are often overlooked. Based on a systematic synthesis of existing literature examining the NEP-C, we argue that the scale assesses specific types of beliefs within the larger NEP, that some children have difficulty comprehending items of this scale, and that the one-factor and three-factor models proposed in the original NEP-C did not achieve an exact fit to empirical data. Additionally, the relevance of the NEP-C total score as a predictor of children's pro-environmental behaviors is questionable. Although the NEP-C is useful for measuring specific types of environmental beliefs, many researchers using this scale may be interested in broader constructs. We highlight potential benefits and drawbacks of using the NEP-C and discuss new directions for environmental education research.
We conducted a systematic review to synthesize evidence of the effect of nature-based adventure (NBA) interventions on depressive symptoms. Our search was conducted in April 2021 and utilized the following databases: MEDLINE (PubMed), PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrials.gov. Forty-two studies ( n = 2,689 participants) with different designs, published between 1979 and 2021, were included. Collectively, results suggest highly variable effects of NBA interventions on depressive symptoms, ranging from reductions in mean depression scores of up to 64% to increases in means scores of up to 18%. Patient adherence to interventions was also variable, and serious adverse events (e.g., leg fractures) did occur. Despite variability across studies, research generally showed that mountain-based and surfing interventions, coupled with other forms of care, may substantially reduce adults’ depressive symptoms more than usual care alone or no intervention, highlighting the potential benefits of some NBA activities for individuals experiencing depressive symptoms.
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