A Fundamental Need

Elevating the Role of the Outdoor Environment for Adolescent Wellbeing in Everyday Life

“…They might play music while they talk and swing and smoke. The lack of supervision and their behaviour is often negatively interpreted ( Owens, 2020 ), but research suggests such behaviour is a complex issue which for the adolescent fill an important function for self-regulation ( Ward Thompson et al, 2005 ). Other people’s perceptions can influence whether or not they feel welcome and hinder their ability to have meaningful experiences outdoors that are central to the quality of youth-friendly environments ( Broberg et al, 2013 ; Lopes et al, 2018 ).…”

“…As a result, the study of youth geographies lacks its own identity as a field for practice and research. While the distinctive features of child development are regularly taken into account in playground design, little attention is paid to the unique characteristics of adolescence in spatial practices ( Owens, 2020 ). Maybe the focus on play in children’s outdoor behaviours is easier (and more desirable) to plan for than the more complex (and problematic) behaviours of adolescents outdoors?…”

“…Adolescents’ needs and aspirations stem from developmental changes connected to the onset of puberty, as well as structural and functional changes to the brain, that emerge through their growing interest in thrill-seeking, peers and their wider social context ( Dahl et al, 2018 ). Owens (2020) draws on developmental and environmental psychology in describing how place helps adolescents solve various developmental tasks pertinent to adolescence and describes how the public realm can help youth to nurture social relationships, manage free time and stimulate self-reflection. Korpela (1992) , p. 251 describes how “contexts deliberately chosen or shaped by the individual deserve particular attention because they may form a major strategy in the service of development.” Indeed, it is during adolescence we acquire the ability to “adaptively pursue new goals and priorities” ( Dahl et al, 2018 , p. 442), making adolescents more than just “passive targets of environmental influences” ( Salmela-Aro, 2010 , p. 14).…”

“…When entering adolescence the social aspects of outdoor life gain extra importance and places are often valued by adolescents in terms of the presence and/or absence of others ( Clark and Uzzell, 2006 ; Travlou et al, 2008 ; Owens, 2020 ). For example, outdoor settings are often chosen by adolescents to hang out with friends away from the parental gaze.…”

“…Environment-based approaches to improve health and wellbeing are acknowledged to offer more encompassing and long lasting effects than many individual-based measures ( Ward Thompson, 2013 ). Outdoor environments in particular house many vital everyday activities that offer pathways to adolescent wellbeing by serving social life, nature contact and other recreational activities ( Knöll and Roe, 2017 ; Owens, 2020 ; Mygind et al, 2021 ). However, many young people spend much time indoors in sedentary activity with negative consequences for their wellbeing ( Hoare et al, 2016 ; Oswald et al, 2020 ).…”