The Effects of a Short Forest Recreation Program on Physiological and Psychological Relaxation in Young Polish Adults

Abstract

Forest recreation is an activity that could be successfully used to alleviate negative symptoms of stress in individuals. Multiple positive psychological and physiological effects have been described in the literature, especially regarding works describing research from Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. In East-Central Europe, however, the effectuality of forest recreation has not been addressed in scientific research. Thus, a special recreation program was developed, and its usability was examined with the involvement of 21 young Polish adults. A pre- and post-test design was used, wherein four psychological questionnaires were applied (Profile of Mood States, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Restorative Outcomes Scale, Subjective Vitality Scale), and physiological measures were assessed (pulse rate, blood pressure) before and after the program. A field study was also conducted at the nature reserve Redykajny, near the suburban forest of the city of Olsztyn. The recreational program had a significant impact on psychological and physiological parameters. After recreation, the negative mood markers of the negative affect decreased and the positive affect, including restoration and vitality, increased. Furthermore, pulse rates, systolic blood pressures, and mean arterial pressures of the participants were significantly lower after the program. These results reveal that the short forest recreation program may be effective in reducing negative symptoms of stress.

The Effects of a Forest Therapy Programme on Mental Hospital Patients with Affective and Psychotic Disorders

“…Anxiety levels, measured using the STAI-S questionnaire, significantly decreased. These findings are consistent with studies that tested the effect of forest therapy on healthy Polish young adults [31,36] and found that some indicators of negative mood decreased after exposure to a forest environment. These findings are in opposition to those described in the work of Bielinis et al [31], in which healthy Polish young adults were tested and only one negative mood indicator, fatigue, increased significantly (mean pre-test = 1.61; mean post-test = 0.80).…”

“…In affective inpatients, perhaps fatigue is difficult to change via a forest recreation programme, whereas in healthy adults, it is more variable. In another study by Bielinis et al [36], changes in fatigue levels of working or studying healthy young adults were only marginally nonsignificant (p = 0.084, large effect size) and decreased after exposure to a forest environment (mean pre-test = 1.22; mean post-test = 0.81), supporting this suggestion. In other studies, in which psychiatric inpatients were examined, no significant effects of forest therapy on mood states were found, but in these studies lower numbers of participants were tested (10 patients in experimental group and 10 in control group).…”

“…For patients with psychotic disorders with symptoms that include a high level of fatigue (pre-test means for psychotic patients = 1.47, affective patients = 1.59, healthy individuals = 1.22 [36]), this fatigue may not be easily reduced by any kind of additive therapy, suggesting that one symptom of schizophrenia, measured by fatigue, is likely difficult to change through forest therapy. Other important symptoms of schizophrenia, however, such as high levels of anxiety (pre-test means for psychotic patients = 1.76, affective patients = 1.58, healthy individuals = 0.90 [36]), may be significantly reduced in these patients, which is valuable information for practitioners. The level of anxiety measured using the STAI-S questionnaire was also lower (STAI-S score nearly 22% lower after forest therapy).…”

The Effect of Recreation in a Snow-Covered Forest Environment on the Psychological Wellbeing of Young Adults: Randomized Controlled Study

“…Third, only psychological measurements were used in this case; the physiological effects of this activity were not considered [44].…”

The Growth of Mountain Tourism in a Traditional Forest Area of Greece

“…To this end, the traditional and alternative values of the forest providing various management objectives should address the integration of all its functions, including timber, biodiversity, protection from soil erosion and floods, and carbon sink, as well as its recreational services [24]. Recent findings revealed the positive effects of forest recreational activities in mental health and psychological and physiological wellbeing ("forest bathing") [25,26], which declares the need for the engagement and further development of forest recreation schemes and infrastructures. Tourism growth is highly dependent on infrastructures, such as the road network, transportation, accessibility amenities, and hotels, provided in the destination, while it is also appraised that infrastructural development influences local people in a positive way towards tourism development [27].…”