Flourishing in nature: A review of the benefits of connecting with nature and its application as a wellbeing intervention

Capaldi, Colin A.; Nisbet, Elizabeth K.; Zelenski, John M.; Dopko, Raelyne L.

doi:10.5502/ijw.v5i4.1

Cited by 56 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 61 publications

(82 reference statements)

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“…In the 21st century, numerous voices have been calling for children and adults to (re)connect with nature, both as a wellbeing intervention for humans, but also for environmental sustainability (Miller, 2006;Barker, 2007;Louv, 2008;Capaldi et al, 2015;Díaz et al, 2015). Nature connection, the concept that describes the human-nature relationship, has been described in numerous ways.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing Nature Connection in Children: A Mini Review of Interventions

Barrable

Booth

2020

Front. Psychol.

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Half of the world's population live in the urban environment. Lifestyle changes in the 20th century have led to spending more time indoors and less in nature. Due to safety concerns, longer hours in formal education, as well as lack of suitable outdoor environments, children in particular have been found to spend very little time outdoors. We have an opportunity, both timely and unique to have our children (re)connect with nature. Nature connection is a subjective state and trait that encompasses affective, cognitive, and experiential aspects in addition to being positively associated with wellbeing, and strong predictor of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. This minireview brings together recent studies that report on interventions to increase nature connection in children. Fourteen studies were identified through electronic searches of Web of Science, Scopus, PsychInfo, ERIC, and Google Scholar. The review aims to offer an overview of the interventions identified, provide a snapshot of the current state of the literature, briefly present themes and trends in the studies identified in relation to nature connection in young people, and propose potential guidelines for future work.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing Nature Connection in Children: A Mini Review of Interventions

Barrable

Booth

2020

Front. Psychol.

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“…That most activities were outdoors may highlight the well‐known restorative effects of nature and green space (Capaldi, Passmore, Nisbet, Zelenski, & Dopko, ). It is plausible that children with ADHD intrinsically recognize circumstances and places that reduce their stress and enhance their well‐being.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Children with ADHD draw‐and‐tell about what makes their life really good

Barfield

Driessnack

2018

Specialist Pediatric Nursing

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Children shared that doing things, outdoors, with others, [emphasis added] made their life "really good". Children's stories yielded insightful and actionable information that is relevant to each individual child/family, and to nursing assessment, intervention, and advocacy. These child-granted insights also extend our attention beyond pharmacological and behavioral focused interventions, to include the children's own innate health promoting interests that help to make their life really good.

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“…Closer examination of parenting styles [410,411,412] in the urban grey space context, positive psychology interventions (also mindfulness, empathy, and relaxation response training) [413,414,415,416,417,418], and encouragement of time spent in natural environments via large-scale nature engagement campaigns [419,420] are worthy of study. We also need to learn more concerning emerging microbial applications in early life (e.g., through nature contact, controlled seeding of microbes and via environmental design) [421,422,423].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective

Prescott

Logan²

2016

IJERPH

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The influential scientist Rene J. Dubos (1901–1982) conducted groundbreaking studies concerning early-life environmental exposures (e.g., diet, social interactions, commensal microbiota, housing conditions) and adult disease. However, Dubos looked beyond the scientific focus on disease, arguing that “mere survival is not enough”. He defined mental health as fulfilling human potential, and expressed concerns about urbanization occurring in tandem with disappearing access to natural environments (and elements found within them); thus modernity could interfere with health via “missing exposures”. With the advantage of emerging research involving green space, the microbiome, biodiversity and positive psychology, we discuss ecological justice in the dysbiosphere and the forces—financial inequity, voids in public policy, marketing and otherwise—that interfere with the fundamental rights of children to thrive in a healthy urban ecosystem and learn respect for the natural environment. We emphasize health within the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) rubric and suggest that greater focus on positive exposures might uncover mechanisms of resiliency that contribute to maximizing human potential. We will entrain our perspective to socioeconomic disadvantage in developed nations and what we have described as “grey space”; this is a mental as much as a physical environment, a space that serves to insidiously reinforce unhealthy behavior, compromise positive psychological outlook and, ultimately, trans-generational health. It is a dwelling place that cannot be fixed with encephalobiotics or the drug-class known as psychobiotics.

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Flourishing in nature: A review of the benefits of connecting with nature and its application as a wellbeing intervention

Cited by 56 publications

References 61 publications

Increasing Nature Connection in Children: A Mini Review of Interventions

Increasing Nature Connection in Children: A Mini Review of Interventions

Children with ADHD draw‐and‐tell about what makes their life really good

Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective

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