Mental Health
Category: Mental health
Title: The Multi-Sites Trial on the Effects of Therapeutic Gardening on Mental Health and Well-Being (2022)
Link: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19138046
Summary: A program of 30 sessions was conducted in Korea, from June – Nov 2021, with 111 participants. All participants were experiencing mild depression/anxiety and more than half had a mental disorder. The following were measured: depression, anxiety, daily activities, quality of life and mindfulness. All 5 variables improved significantly over time.
Category: Children, mental health
Title: A haven of green space: learning from a pilot pre-post evaluation of a school-based social and therapeutic horticulture intervention with children (2018)
Link: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5661-9
Summary: A study in North West England of school children, aged 9-15, with ‘behavioural, emotional and social difficulties’ examined the effect of monthly therapeutic horticulture sessions over 6 months. Whilst the school reported better mental well-being, within questionnaires the 36 children self-reported worsening well-being. These results perhaps reflect the children completing their feedback on the last day of school. Despite challenges with the study design, this study provides examples of data collection methods suitable for children.
Category: Children, cognitive health, mental health, physical health, therapeutic design
Title: Nature as a healer for autistic children (2019)
Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2018.10.014
Summary: This paper focuses on investigating the potential health and well-being advantages of engaging children with autism in nature. Guidelines for a sensory garden are provided, along with exploration of cognitive, mental and physical benefits of connecting with nature. Practical design elements are examined, along with a sight plan to demonstrate these principles in practice.
Category: Older Adults, physical health, mental health
Title: Reduced stress and improved physical functional ability in elderly with mental health problems following a horticultural therapy program (2018)
Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2018.03.011
Summary: This study investigates the effects of 10 horticultural therapy sessions on 14 older adults’ physical and mental health. Results found improved fitness and lower stress compared to the control group. The study design provides examples of self-reported fitness questionnaires.
Category: Mental Health
Title: Effects of Horticultural Activities on Mild to Moderate Depression Symptoms:
A Randomized Controlled Trial (2023)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.32598/ijpcp.28.4.4340.1
Summary: Adults with mild or moderate depression symptoms undertook weekly 3-hour sessions of horticultural therapy over 6 weeks with depression measured with a questionnaire. After the intervention, depression improved for the horticultural therapy group compared to the control group.
Category: Mental Health
Title: The Multi-Sites Trial on the Effects of Therapeutic Gardening on Mental Health and Well-Being (2022)
Link: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19138046
Summary: Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examined the effects of a 30 week horticultural programme across 10 different sites. All mental health areas improved following the programme, including symptoms of depression and anxiety, participant engagement in daily activity, their quality of life and their reported mindfulness. Older adults experienced greater improvements in depression than other age groups.
Category: Cognitive Health, mental health
Title: A Lower Connection to Nature is Related to Lower Mental Health Benefits from Nature Contact (2024)
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-56968-5
Summary: A cross sectional online survey in Australia involving 2084 participants, looking time spent in greenspaces, connection to nature and levels of stress, anxiety and depression. The results show that visiting greenspace links with lower stress anxiety and depression and that this is moderated by how connected to nature a person is. They also found a potential underlying factor for this may be that individuals with a strong connection to nature are more conscious of nature.
Category: Mental health
Title: Effectiveness of Horticultural Therapy in People with Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2021)
Link: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/3/964
Summary: This review of 23 studies, totalling 2024 people, aimed to assess how effective horticultural therapy is for people with schizophrenia. Specific focus was on improving symptoms, rehabilitation outcomes, quality of life, and social functioning. It also looked at whether the therapy works better in hospital settings or non-hospital settings. A positive effect of horticultural therapy for people with schizophrenia was found. It also found that therapy in non-hospital settings was more effective across all measures compared to hospital settings.
Category: Older Adults; Mental Health
Title: Effectiveness of horticultural therapy in aged people with depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis A meta-analysis (2023)
Link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1142456/full
Summary: This research examined the effectiveness of horticultural therapy in reducing depression among older adults. It found that engaging in gardening activities, especially those involving planting, significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to control groups. The study highlighted that participatory activities and therapy durations of 4-8 weeks were most effective.
Category: Mental Health; Older Adults; Children and Young Adults; Therapeutic Design
Title: Horticultural therapy for stress reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2023)
Link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1086121/full
Summary: A systematic review and meta-analysis exploring the effects of horticultural therapy (HT) on stress reduction. The study found that HT significantly improved psychological indicators, with notable reductions in stress levels. Specifically, HT was particularly effective for older adults and those facing educational stressors. The analysis also revealed that indoor and virtual HT settings, along with activities like walking, meditation, and plant-related tasks, were most beneficial. This research underscores HT’s potential as a therapeutic tool for enhancing mental health and reducing stress, highlighting its relevance for various populations and settings.
Category: Older Adults; Physical Health; Mental Health
Title: Effects of horticultural therapy on health in the elderly: A review and meta-analysis (2023)
Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10389-023-01938-w
Summary: A review and meta-analysis examining the effects of horticultural therapy (HT) on the health of the elderly. This comprehensive study included various HT activities conducted both indoors and outdoors, comparing them with traditional activities or therapies. The findings revealed significant improvements in both physical and mental health among older adults who participated in HT. Benefits included enhanced physical function, reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, and overall improved quality of life. The analysis demonstrates HT’s versatility and effectiveness as a complementary treatment for the elderly, highlighting its potential to enhance well-being and mental health regardless of the participants’ gender, physical condition, or psychiatric status.
Category: Mental Health
Title: The impact of gardening on well-being, mental health, and quality of life: an umbrella review and meta-analysis (2024)
Link: https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-024-02457-9
Summary: An umbrella review and meta-analysis investigating the impact of gardening on well-being, mental health, and quality of life. The review includes various study designs, encompassing both interventional and observational studies. The findings consistently demonstrate that gardening and horticultural therapy (HT) positively influenced multiple aspects of psychological well-being, including reduced depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as improved cognitive function and mood. Additionally, HT was shown to enhance the quality of life by increasing social connections, independence, and overall health status. Despite some variability in study quality, the overarching conclusion highlighted the substantial benefits of gardening activities for mental and physical health across diverse populations.
Category: Connecting to Nature; Mental Health; Therapeutic Design
Title: Associations of nature contact with emotional ill-being and well-being:
the role of emotion regulation (2024)
Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02699931.2024.2316199#abstract
Summary: This paper explores the relationship between nature contact, emotion regulation strategies, and emotional well-being and ill-being. Using cross-sectional data, the study examines how different types of emotion regulation, such as rumination, reappraisal, and distraction, mediate the effects of nature exposure on emotional outcomes. The findings reveal that more frequent nature contact is associated with greater emotional well-being and reduced emotional ill-being, particularly through increased use of adaptive strategies like reappraisal and decreased use of maladaptive ones like rumination. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of the study, causal relationships cannot be confirmed, and further research is recommended to explore these pathways in more depth.
Category: Connecting to Nature; Mental Health; Therapeutic Design
Title: The role of nature in emotion regulation processes: An evidence-based
rapid review (2024) Vitale, V., & Bonaiuto, M.
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272494424000987
Summary: A rapid review, investigating how exposure to nature impacts emotional regulation. Drawing on various frameworks, such as stress reduction and biopsychosocial models, the study emphasises how natural environments help mitigate negative emotions, enhance positive affect, and activate adaptive emotional regulation strategies. Despite substantial evidence of nature’s broader mental health benefits, the paper highlights that the specific pathways linking nature and emotional regulation remain underexplored and calls for more focused research on these mechanisms.
Category: Connecting to Nature; Mental Health
Title: “Contact with Nature for Emotion Regulation: The Roles of Nature
Connectedness and Beauty Engagement in Urban Young Adults,” (2023), Gu,
Zheng, and Tse
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-48756-4
Summary: An empirical study investigating how nature contact influences emotional regulation, specifically focusing on two mediating factors: nature connectedness (the psychological sense of being related to nature) and beauty engagement (the ability to perceive and appreciate beauty in nature). The study collects data from urban young adults, exploring the psychological mechanisms through which exposure to natural environments can help regulate emotions. By integrating these two factors, the study
sheds light on how subjective experiences of nature’s beauty and a deeper sense of connection with nature contribute to emotional well-being, especially in urban settings where access to nature might be limited. The findings highlight the potential of nature-based interventions for improving emotional regulation, suggesting that enhancing individuals’ connection to nature and their ability to engage with its beauty could be important strategies for supporting mental health.
Category: Veterans; Mental Health; Connecting to Nature
Title: Long-Term Group Nature-Assisted Therapy for Veterans Diagnosed with
Chronic PTSD (2023)
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/01609513.2023.2173358
Summary: Case study of combining nature therapy with group therapy in a long term adventure therapy programme for veterans with Chronic PTSD. Qualitative data was collected from 4 focus groups with 10 participants. Thematic analysis found 3 main themes: Reaching out to the world: Being in the world; Belonging: being part of a group; and Nature as a curative factor. It was found that this approach enhanced participants ability to cope with PTSD avoidance symptoms, and that nature was seen as a pivotal factor. Authors conclude that nature assisted therapy is a promising supplementary intervention, particularly for those who have failed to gain sufficient improvement through other therapies.