Feasibility of an Outdoor Mindful Walking Program for Reducing Negative Affect in Older Adults

Abstract

Mindful walking has emerged as a potential intervention strategy to improve mental health and promote well-being in adult and clinical populations. This strategy has not been implemented specifically with older adults to date. This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, sustainability, and preliminary efficacy of a mindful walking program for reducing negative affect in older adults. Community-dwelling older adults (n = 29) completed a 1-month, outdoor mindful walking program distributed across eight 30-min sessions. Responses from postprogram and follow-up questionnaires revealed that mindful walking was well-accepted, highly valued, and maintained after the program ended. Analysis from the pre- and postwalk surveys also suggested the preliminary efficacy of a mindful walking program for reducing negative affect. Positive results identified in the current feasibility study indicate readiness for randomized controlled trials to further examine the efficacy and effectiveness of a mindful walking intervention for promoting health and well-being in older populations.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Nature-Based Mindfulness: Effects of Moving Mindfulness Training into an Outdoor Natural Setting

“…One of the aspects that are still in need of investigation is whether certain types of mindfulness are more suited than others for training and use in natural settings, and whether this depends on the characteristics of the natural setting and other components of the intervention. Informal mindfulness is compatible with ordinary activities [5], such as walking a forest trail e.g., [62], and has been shown to be a tool for healthy people to enhance the positive effects of contact with nature [63,77]. Forest bathing is a research field that addresses this [25], but a systematic approach to mindfulness is still needed in this context.…”

Effectiveness of a mindful nature walking intervention on sleep quality and mood in university students during Covid-19: A randomised control study

“…However, the most effective duration of mindful walking in nature has rarely been recommended. An intervention study conducted an one-month mindful walking amongst elder adults, comprising eight walking sessions, which found to be effective on reducing negative affect 70 . Therefore, seven consecutive mindful walking sessions in the present study can be effective, although further studies could investigate the best dose and frequency of mindful walking for young adults.…”

Examining the Feasibility of a Mindfulness Intervention for the Prevention of Falls: A Pilot Study

“…There are limited studies addressing the practicality of mindfulness interventions for older adults; however, there is evidence to suggest that mindfulness-based interventions can be feasibly implemented in this population (Spildooren, Speetjens, Abrahams, Feys, & Timmermans, 2018;Yang & Conroy, 2019). In addition, interventions that include both cognitive and physical components have been shown to be especially efficacious for improving cognition and overall function in older adults (Anderson-Hanley et al, 2012;Fabre, Chamari, Mucci, Massé-Biron, & Préfaut, 2002;Halvarsson et al, 2013).…”