Therapeutic horticulture in clinical depression: a prospective study of active components

Gonzalez, Marianne Thorsen; Hartig, Terry; Patil, Grete Grindal; Martinsen, Egil W.; Kirkevold, Marit

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05383.x

Cited by 130 publications

(140 citation statements)

References 67 publications

(68 reference statements)

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“…Even though the improvements to most outcomes were small, the findings point to the possible mental health benefits for those suffering from mental health disorders of participating in care farm rehabilitation programs. The declines in depression reported by both Pedersen et al [34] and Gonzalez et al [37,38] were both statistically and clinically significant, implying that the decline in depression is experienced by the study participant as an improvement in mental health. It is worth pointing out that this was observed across programs covering different farm-related occupations, like animal and horticultural activities.…”

Section: Mental Health Outcomes Related To Care Farmingmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…Perceived attentional capacity increased significantly and perceived rumination decreased significantly during the intervention. Changes in depression levels and attentional capacity were mediated through being away from everyday environment and fascination [37]. The participants reported high levels of group cohesiveness, and the levels of group cohesiveness correlated positively, although not statistically significantly, with improvements in depression severity, anxiety levels, positive affect, and perceived stress levels.…”

Section: Care Farming With Horticultural Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…However, in the RCT study on animal-assisted intervention by Berget et al [27], these improvements were only found in anxiety levels and were only observed during a six-month follow-up assessment. In the single-group studies by Gonzalez et al [37,38] on therapeutic horticulture, the decreases in participants' depression levels observed during the intervention remained present three months after the end of the intervention. Even though the improvements to most outcomes were small, the findings point to the possible mental health benefits for those suffering from mental health disorders of participating in care farm rehabilitation programs.…”

Section: Mental Health Outcomes Related To Care Farmingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Apart from providing meaningful work tasks, they provide a natural environment in which to work. Gonzalez et al [37] have used an environmental psychology and cognitive perspective, and they identified both a sense of being away from daily routines and tasks and a fascination with being in the intervention context as the active components of the therapeutic horticulture intervention at care farms. This implies that the change in environment, from the home to the farm (being away), and the experience of the farm and its horticultural activities as fascinating are important factors in explaining the observed decline in depression and improvement in perceived attentional capacity.…”

Section: The Care Farms' Environmental Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gonzalez et al [37][38][39][40] have carried out two singlegroup design studies of the possible benefits to people with clinical depression of participating in a horticultural activities on four urban farms. Both aimed to examine changes in depression and perceived attentional capacity.…”

Section: Care Farming With Horticultural Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Mental health rehabilitation in a care farm context: A descriptive review of Norwegian intervention studies

Pedersen

Patil

Berget

et al. 2015

WOR

Self Cite

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Section: Mental Health Outcomes Related To Care Farmingmentioning

confidence: 69%

Section: Care Farming With Horticultural Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Mental Health Outcomes Related To Care Farmingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Care Farms' Environmental Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Care Farming With Horticultural Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Mental health rehabilitation in a care farm context: A descriptive review of Norwegian intervention studies

Pedersen

Patil

Berget

et al. 2015

WOR

Self Cite

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Allotment gardens: Psychosocial benefits and conflictual community aspects

Sapin

Bodénan

Lebeau

et al. 2022

Community & Applied Soc Psy

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In a context of re‐greening of urban spaces, it is crucial to examine the impact of green spaces on the population. In this qualitative study carried out in France (Nantes), 28 people with a plot in an allotment garden were questioned through semi‐directive interviews about the psychosocial impact of this type of space. Using thematic and lexicometric analyses, the different psychosocial benefits of these spaces are highlighted and put into perspective with the conflicts occurring there. The content analysis foregrounded the benefits of allotment garden regarding psychological well‐being, (notably through the feeling of flow), physical health, self‐development and social bonding. Nevertheless, these benefits are balanced by the different conflicts reported by the participants. By showing that positive and negative social aspects are significantly associated in the participants' discourse, the lexicometric analysis strengthened the idea that these elements must be considered jointly to better describe the reality of allotment gardens.

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The impact of care farms on quality of life, depression and anxiety among different population groups: A systematic review

Murray

Wickramasekera

Elings³

et al. 2019

Campbell Systematic Reviews

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Care farming (also called social farming) is the therapeutic use of agricultural and farming practices. Service users and communities supported through care farming include people with learning disabilities, mental and physical health problems, substance misuse, adult offenders, disaffected youth, socially isolated older people and the long term unemployed. Care farming is growing in popularity, especially around Europe. This review aimed to understand the impact of care farming on quality of life, depression and anxiety, on a range of service user groups. It also aimed to explore and explain the way in which care farming might work for different groups. By reviewing interview studies we found that people valued, among other things, being in contact with each other, and feeling a sense of achievement, fulfilment and belonging. Some groups seemed to appreciate different things indicating that different groups may benefit in different ways but, it is unclear if this is due to a difference in the types of activities or the way in which people take different things from the same activity. We found no evidence that care farms improved people's quality of life and some evidence that they might improve depression and anxiety. Larger studies involving single service user groups and fully validated outcome measures are needed to prove more conclusive evidence about the benefits of care farming.

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Therapeutic horticulture in clinical depression: a prospective study of active components

Abstract: Being away and fascination appear to work as active components in a therapeutic horticulture intervention for clinical depression.

Cited by 130 publications

References 67 publications

Mental health rehabilitation in a care farm context: A descriptive review of Norwegian intervention studies

Mental health rehabilitation in a care farm context: A descriptive review of Norwegian intervention studies

Allotment gardens: Psychosocial benefits and conflictual community aspects

The impact of care farms on quality of life, depression and anxiety among different population groups: A systematic review

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