Virtual nature, psychological and psychophysiological outcomes: A systematic review

Journal of Environmental Psychology, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 89, С. 102044 - 102044

Опубликована: Июнь 3, 2023

Evidence on the benefits of virtual nature is steadily increasing. In current paper, we present a systematic review summarizing studies that examined effects psychological and psychophysiological outcomes up to March 2023. We found 236 records, which 59 met eligibility criteria. Results from quality assessment showed most were high or very quality. Studies addressed three main outcomes: mood, stress, restorativeness. Other such as environmental preference, cognitive performance, connectedness received less attention, whilst others creativity, perceived safety, subjective vitality, behavior behavioral intentions hardly investigated at all. Findings generally point positive effect its users, although further evidence needed. adopted experimental quasi-experimental designs, used heterogeneous measures, often sample sizes unknown power. Future research could consider uninvestigated using larger with adequate power, specific samples, focus building new theories identifying best practices. Also, disentangling optimal type duration exposure investigating role individual differences in effectiveness for desirable changes warranted.

Язык: Английский

---

Daily exposure to virtual nature reduces symptoms of anxiety in college students

Scientific Reports, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 13(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 23, 2023

Exposure to natural environments offers an array of mental health benefits. Virtual reality provides simulated experiences being in nature when outdoor access is limited. Previous studies on virtual have focused mainly single "doses" nature. The effects repeated exposure remain poorly understood. Motivated by this gap, we studied the influence a daily intervention symptoms anxiety, depression, and underlying cause poor health: rumination. Forty college students (58% non-Hispanic White, median age = 19) were recruited from two U.S. universities randomly assigned or control group. Over several weeks, anxious arousal (panic) apprehension (worry) decreased with exposure. Participants identifying as women, past VR users, experienced outdoors, engaged beauty benefited particularly strongly did not help anhedonic depression Further research necessary distinguish for whom interventions impact outcomes.

Язык: Английский

---

The role of nature in emotion regulation processes: An evidence-based rapid review

Journal of Environmental Psychology, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 96, С. 102325 - 102325

Опубликована: Май 18, 2024

Natural environments have been widely recognized to many beneficial effects on emotions and emotion regulation processes. However, this mechanism is still largely overlooked in current research practice, with only a few studies that specifically investigated these processes applying terminology approaches grounded the theories. This review explores literature regarding how nature-related aspects impact regulation, considering based relevant concepts language. The aim bridge nature-health field, enhancing theoretical development understanding of benefits nature exposure by identifying common measurement approaches. To inform future existing evidence, rapid topic was conducted November 2022. In January 2024, an additional search incorporate recent articles update review. Five databases (PsycInfo, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubPsych) were searched for reporting other (e.g., connectedness) Following application inclusion exclusion criteria, twenty-seven selected assessment used diverse heterogeneous; therefore, narrative synthesis results conducted. Overall, appears positive general as well specific strategies, such decreasing rumination worry, use adaptive strategies (i.e., mindfulness cognitive reappraisal). Furthermore, indicated there association between connectedness affect regulatory processes, example dysregulation found mediate perceived stress happiness. Despite variety methods adopted reviewed studies, most findings reported impacts general, more particularly regulation. These highlight importance further need enhanced methodological rigor study designs measurements tools assess among individuals' they adopt regulate their emotions. Achieving greater consistency across also crucial building cohesive body knowledge facilitating evidence accumulation contexts.

Язык: Английский

---

Association between urban green space and postpartum depression, and the role of physical activity: a retrospective cohort study in Southern California

The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 21, С. 100462 - 100462

Опубликована: Март 6, 2023

Little research exists regarding the relationships between green space and postpartum depression (PPD). We aimed to investigate PPD exposure, mediating role of physical activity (PA). Clinical data were obtained from Kaiser Permanente Southern California electronic health records in 2008–2018. ascertainment was based on both diagnostic codes prescription medications. Maternal residential exposures assessed using street view-based measures vegetation types (i.e., tree, low-lying vegetation, grass), satellite-based [i.e., Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), land-cover space, tree canopy cover], proximity nearest park. Multilevel logistic regression applied estimate association PPD. A causal mediation analysis performed proportion mediated by PA during pregnancy total effects In total, we included 415,020 participants (30.2 ± 5.8 years) with 43,399 (10.5%) cases. Hispanic mothers accounted for about half population. reduced risk associated exposure street-view measure [500 m buffer, adjusted odds ratio (OR) per interquartile range: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97–0.99], but not NDVI, greenness, or a Compared other coverage showed stronger protective (500 OR = 0.97–0.99). The proportions attributable ranged 2.7% 7.2% across indicators. Street decreased observed primarily due increased coverage, rather than grass. Increased plausible pathway linking lower National Institute Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS; R01ES030353).

Язык: Английский

---

Trees, Climate Change, and Health: An Urban Planning, Greening and Implementation Perspective

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 20(18), С. 6798 - 6798

Опубликована: Сен. 21, 2023

The In Conversation: Boundary, Spanners, Thinkers and Policy Actors Round Table Series provides a platform for researchers, policy actors, implementation experts to elevate discussion on emerging issues, present new upcoming research, facilitate conversations around impacts possible solutions. This brief report, trees, climate change, health, reflects conversation between the authors of this paper, along with supporting literature. It explores potential green spaces trees as viable strategy address change challenges simultaneously improve population well-being, health equity. particular, it highlights public benefits space, faced in urban areas, opportunities protection, maintenance regeneration space.

Язык: Английский

---

Association between residential green spaces and pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

International Journal of Environmental Health Research, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 34(9), С. 3188 - 3205

Опубликована: Янв. 7, 2024

Residential exposure to greenness has shown positive influences on pregnancy outcomes like birth weight, preterm births, and small gestational age (SGA) deliveries. We aimed comprehensively review investigate these associations by conducting a systematic with meta-analysis. Relevant studies were retrieved from PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar databases before June 2023. Summary effect estimates included low weight (LBW), SGA which calculated for 0.1 unit increase in residential exposure. Overall quality of the evidence was examined through Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool. The 31 articles found statistically significant measured at 250 m buffer distance (β = 8.95, 95% CI 1.63-16.27). Green spaces also associated lower odds LBW (OR 0.97, 0.96-0.98). had impacts that calls emphasis urban planning, especially developing countries.

Язык: Английский

---

Virtual reality natural experiences for mental health: comparing the effects between different immersion levels

Virtual Reality, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 28(1)

Опубликована: Фев. 27, 2024

Abstract Virtual nature is an innovative approach for promoting mental health. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects on health outcomes between two immersion levels virtual reality natural experiences. design a cluster trial. Healthy adults were allocated experimental groups. Identical pre-recorded 360° videos scenes and sounds played devices, one with higher immersive level via head-mounted display other lower smartphone. intervention conducted 30 min per session, once week 12 weeks. Data collected by self-reported questionnaires at baseline post-intervention. In total, 54 participants completed interventions. A significantly greater effect revealed improving happiness, self-rated health, physical, mental, social, environmental quality life, ameliorating distress, depression, somatization in who experienced compared level. experiences high are recommended promote

Язык: Английский

---

Assessing biodiversity's impact on stress and affect from urban to conservation areas: A virtual reality study

Ecological Indicators, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 158, С. 111532 - 111532

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2024

Biodiversity is the essential foundation of ecosystem stability and significantly influences human health. However, specific impacts broadly varied biodiversity levels across diverse greenspaces on mental well-being remain unclear. In this randomized controlled trial, immersive virtual reality (VR) auditory-visual simulations, emulating real scenarios, were employed to investigate effect stress affect. After an induced phase, participants (N = 90) randomly assigned a ten-minute immersion in one three settings: urban park, peri-urban or nature conservation area. Physiological responses measured via skin conductance level (SCL) significant (nSCR), while psychological evaluated using Positive Affect Negative Scale (PANAS). Additionally, Perceived Restorativeness (PRS) was evaluate restoration potential. Repeated measures analysis variance revealed that park area associated with faster more substantial decrease SCL compared park. nSCR remained lower than While all natural environments diminished negative affect, scenario decline positive affect received lowest rating subjective restorativeness. A benefit threshold related observed, contrast absence corresponding physiological threshold. This disparity suggests innate genetic affinity for high may persists, unaffected by acquired experiences. Our study underscores recovery benefits high-value ecological environments, thereby fostering avenue further investigations into human-ecological health interconnections.

Язык: Английский

---

Exploring the effect of different typical plant community on human stress reduction: a field experiment

Scientific Reports, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 14(1)

Опубликована: Март 7, 2024

Research has demonstrated the positive effect of natural environment on human restoration and well-being. Time spent in nature can often alleviate both physiological psychological stress. However, few studies have discussed environmental health effects nature's components characteristics. Sixty volunteers were recruited one manufactured five different environments randomly assigned to them, including coniferous forests (pure forest-PC mixed forest-MC), broad-leaved forest-PB forest-MB), forest (mixed forest-MCB). Each volunteer sat a built or looked around for 15 min. Physiological (HR, HRV, BP, pulse rate salivary cortisol) indicators (POMS STAI) used evaluate changes their stress level. Results indicated strong difference HR, POMS STAI between environment, which showed that lower MC had best relieving stress, whereas MCB is most successful improving emotional state reducing anxiety. Broad-leaved significantly affected DBP vigor level subjects, respectively. While did increase concentration cortisol subjects. The study confirmed compared relieve body's physical negative emotions, while increasing vitality. And plant communities also These results will provide scientific basis construction improvement urban green space environment.

Язык: Английский

---

Optimizing Virtual Nature for Psychological and Physiological Well-Being: A Systematic Review of the Moderating Effects of Duration, Nature Type, Sample Characteristics, and Immersiveness and Potential Risks of Bias

International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, Год журнала: 2024, Номер unknown, С. 1 - 17

Опубликована: Апрель 16, 2024

Virtual nature research has emerged as a prominent and captivating study area, gaining much attention for its profound potential to enhance well-being. This literature review aimed expand prior reviews of virtual experiences on psychological physiological well-being in two ways: summarizing how four factors may moderate the beneficial effects reporting risk bias this body literature. Searches peer-reviewed articles were conducted Web Science Scopus manually identified, returning 78 relevant empirical studies published between 2010 2023. The assessment was utilizing Cochrane's RoB 2 ROBINS-I tools. moderators examined duration exposure (i.e., ≤5 min, 5–10 ≥10 min), type green space, blue space), sample characteristics age, health status), immersion level reality [VR], 2D screens). We found limited evidence impact first three but stronger higher levels showing benefits. All have high bias, mostly related subjective measurement outcomes. Future should prioritize studying tailored interventions their long-term among diverse participants different types environments, well investigating influence presence settings. These efforts will provide further insights into underlying mechanisms benefits derived from exposure.

Язык: Английский

---