Experiencing Nature to Satisfy Basic Psychological Needs in Parenting: A Quasi-Experiment in Family Shelters

Abstract

Finding fulfillment of basic psychological needs may be difficult for parents living in shelters after becoming homeless or after escaping violence. This study tested if experiencing nature was associated with the basic psychological needs of parents in shelters. Need satisfaction and need frustration were measured among parents in shelters (N = 160), with one measurement in the standard indoor context of the shelter and one measurement while experiencing nature. Experiencing nature was associated with enhanced need satisfaction (d = 0.28) and reduced need frustration (d = −0.24). The effect was especially pronounced for parents with young children. Our findings suggest that the physical environment matters for parents’ basic psychological need fulfillment as they interact with their children in the context of sheltering. This finding opens a potential avenue for supporting parental functioning and resilience in the face of risk if these effects were to be replicated across settings using controlled experimental designs. At the very least, the findings may be discussed with practitioners and parents in the context of making shelter life and work more conducive to mental health and family functioning.

Trauma-Informed Design of Supported Housing: A Scoping Review through the Lens of Neuroscience

“…Of the thirteen reviewed studies, ten explicitly addressed relationships between safety and security and the design of the built environment. It should be noted that papers that did not directly address issues of safety and security had a targeted emphasis on health and wellbeing, including the role of gardens and the natural environment [ 52 , 53 ] and community spaces [ 21 ]. Two themes were identified encompassing defensible environments [ n = 9] and environmental stressors [ n = 8].…”

“…Under the first theme, the natural environment was the exclusive focus of three papers in this scoping review [ 48 , 52 , 53 ], underscoring the role of nature as a therapeutic setting and the benefits of direct interaction with flora and fauna. In their quantitative study of parents living in shelters, Peters et al demonstrated that direct connections with nature significantly affected psychological need fulfilment [ 53 ] and was associated with higher parental need satisfaction and lower parental need frustration, particularly for parents with young children [ 52 ]. Huffman [ 21 ], discussing the role of community spaces in supporting wellbeing in permanent supportive housing, describes how the food garden offers both peace and quiet, as well as positive childhood memories for some residents.…”

Social Workers’ Choice Making in Supporting Nature Activities by Parents and Children in Shelters

“…Visiting a natural environment such as a garden, children’s farm, a forest, or park can be supportive to families. Studies in shelters as well as in other living places have indicated that natural environments near a family’s living place can be used as a safe and engaging place for family activities, where parents can find fun and unconstrained ways to interact with their children ( Ashbullby et al, 2013 ; Izenstark et al, 2016 , 2021 ; Cameron-Faulkner et al, 2018 ; Millican et al, 2019 ; Kotozaki, 2020 ; Rantala and Puhakka, 2020 ; Peters et al, 2020a ; Varning Poulsen et al, 2020 ). Such positive moments in nature are associated with stress reduction in parents ( Razani et al, 2018 ; Kotozaki, 2020 ) and responsive interactions between parent and child ( Cameron-Faulkner et al, 2018 ).…”

“…Such positive moments in nature are associated with stress reduction in parents ( Razani et al, 2018 ; Kotozaki, 2020 ) and responsive interactions between parent and child ( Cameron-Faulkner et al, 2018 ). For parents in shelters specifically, experiences in a natural environment have been associated with parents’ experiences of connectedness with their child, autonomy in making parenting decisions, and competence in their parenting practice ( Peters et al, 2020a , b , 2021 ). These findings suggest that professionals may use engagement with nature to support parents in shelters.…”

“…Several shelters have integrated nature in their practice to support parents’ functioning and resilience ( Renzetti et al, 2014 ; Lygum et al, 2019 ; Millican et al, 2019 ; Norton et al, 2020 ; Peters et al, 2020a , b ; Varning Poulsen et al, 2020 ) such as by offering seasonal celebrations in nature, walk and talk therapy, outdoor adventure experiences, therapeutic horticulture, or outdoor play moments. Thus far, little is known about how professionals choose nature activities for the support of parents.…”