Landscapes of becoming social: A systematic review of evidence for associations and pathways between interactions with nature and socioemotional development in children

Abstract

Background. Existing research indicates that spending time in nature is associated with diverse aspects of children’s health and wellbeing. Although fundamental to later life chances and health, no systematic reviews, to our knowledge, have focused specifically on the effects of interaction with nature on socioemotional functioning in childhood. Objectives. To summarise and assess the evidence for associations between spending time in and availability of nature and socioemotional function and development for children, we conducted a systematic review. Additionally, we provide a coherent, evidence-based framework that connects nature interaction and socioemotional development through child behaviours and states that independently show associations with both nature interaction and socioemotional function.Data sources. Embase, Environment Complete, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. Eligible studies were backward and forward snowball-searched. Study eligibility criteria. Studies investigating effects of, or associations between, availability of or interaction with nature on socioemotional or proximal outcomes in children under the age of 12 years were included in this review. Study appraisal and synthesis methods. The internal validity of studies investigating socioemotional outcomes were based on assessments of elements of study design, conduct, and reporting to identify potential issues related to confounding or other biases. The number of analyses indicating positive, negative, and non-significant associations between availability or interaction with green space and the outcomes were summed.Results. A total of 222 eligible full-texts, of which 42 pertained to socioemotional outcomes and 180 to proximal outcomes, met eligibility criteria. Positive associations between availability of and spending time in green space were found with children’s intra- and interpersonal socioemotional function and development. Proportions of positive findings ranged from 14.5% to 50% across experimental and observational research, exposures, populations, and contexts. Modifying and mediating factors were identified. We found consistent evidence for improved aspects of cognition and, for children over six years, reduced risk of obesity and overweight in association with green space; consistent links between movement behaviours in the experimental, but not observational research; tentative trends suggesting associations with play, motor skills, language, screen time, and communication skills; little evidence for positive associations between green space and mood, physical wellbeing, and stress; some evidence for associations with healthy birth outcomes, and little evidence for direct associations between availability of green space and asthma and allergy prevalence, however, mediation via, for example, air pollution was likely.Limitations. We identified few studies without either probable or severe risk of bias in at least one item. Improved study quality may therefore result in different results. Restricting analyses to include only studies considered at low risk of bias indicated similar or slightly lower proportions of positive findings. Risk of bias in proximal outcomes was not assessed.Conclusions. The empirical evidence for benefits of availability of and interaction green space for child socioemotional function and development must currently be considered limited. A number of proximal indicators were identified. Systematic review registration number. PROSPERO ID: CRD42019135016.

Associations Between Nature Exposure, Screen Use, and Parent-Child Relations: A Scoping Review

“…Although the literature provides a glimpse into the influence of screen-based preferences on children's leisure-time activity choices, the influence of media types and uses remains largely unexplored in this context. Data collected for different device types was generally collapsed into single measures of total screen use for analysis [53,77,78,79] -a limitation mirroring the broader research investigating children's screen time and green time [15,35]. This is problematic as modern devices and digital applications are likely to influence children's behaviors and play preferences in novel and unique ways [101,102,103].…”

“…Nature exposure, or 'green time' is receiving growing empirical attention for its healthpromoting effects on wellbeing. Outdoor spaces characterized by features of nature (such as forests, beaches, and tree-lined parks) have unique benefits to psychological [33,34] cognitive [12,13] and social [35,36,37,38] health outcomes for both children and adults.…”

Wildness, infinity and freedom

“…Comparative and experimental evidence shows that immersion in nature restores attention and mindfulness, reduces stress, enhances creativity and increases task performance (for example Atchley et al, 2012;reviewed in Bratman et al, 2012;Hartig et al, 2014;McMahan and Estes, 2015;Russell et al, 2013). Attention restoration theory describes how directed attentionthe process of deploying cognitive energy to focus on selected stimuli while avoiding distractionis restored in natural landscapes because the affordances themselves are inherently fascinating and elicit involuntary attention, thus allowing neural pathways a chance to recover and improve working memory (reviewed in Bratman et al, 2012Bratman et al, , 2019Mygind et al, 2021). By helping us to be present in our own lives, and remember more of it, we might extract and sustain more self-meaning from our experiences.…”

“…Intersubjectivity creates a phenomenal field of multi-sensory experiences that situates the perceiver as a node within a "domain of entanglement" where relationships are "continually ravelling here and unravelling there" (Ingold, 2011, p. 71). Developing relational values facilitates capabilities concerned with self-identity and self-meaning (Chan et al;Child 2011;Ballet et al 2018;Mygind et al 2021). For example, a review found that nature helps children's abilities to form positive relationships, social competencies, emotional management and self-expression (Mygind et al 2021).…”

Associations Between Nature Exposure, Screen Use, and Parent-Child Relations: a Scoping Review Protocol.

“…Despite mixed findings, exposure to natural environments, or 'green time' is a growing area of scientific inquiry and research suggests that exposure to natural spaces may promote psychological (11,12), cognitive (13) and social (14)(15)(16) wellbeing. Globally, an increase in childhood screen use has also corresponded with reductions in time children spend in natural environments and the positive psycho-social benefits of nature exposure appear to map inversely with screen related child health outcomes.…”