Lomax Butler Cipriani 2024

How does the literature define nature? What are the characteristics of the nature intervention? What are the mental health and well-being outcomes being measured? What does the evidence show with regard to how nature affects the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents?

This research paper looks to examine a wide array of scholarly papers to determine whether or not nature has a positive effect on the mental health of our younger populations. To identify results, this research paper must also look at what characteristics define “nature” and what aspects of mental health are affected by said nature or green spaces. 

Current research suggest nature may be beneficial for children’s brain and cognitive development, as evidenced by three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging and cognitive testing, with specific improvements in working memory and attention. Current research also indicates its beneficial effect on mental health and well-being, including reducing stress, improving attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, reducing depressive symptoms ad psychological distress and fostering emotional well-being. 

Overall, current research shows a vast and positive impact of green space on overall mental health and nature can counteract the negative implications and associations of spending too much time indoors. Child and youth mental health and behaviour is positively affected by time outside. 

Nature appears to have a beneficial effect on mental health and well-being with largely significant positive results. In general, the evidence was in support of nature’s beneficial effects on children’s mental health-related outcomes. All ten reviews that focused on both cild and adolescent populations (under -18) supported nature’s beneficial effects on mental health and well-being. 

While there are a number of ways youth can be exposed or participate in outdoor activity and green space, it is largely shown that most if not all forms of nature have a strong positive effect on the health and well-being of young populations. 

In this meta-review we found that ‘nature’ is conceptualized along a continuum into three broad categories: a human-designed environment with natural elements; a human-designed natural environment; and a natural environment. We call this continuum the ‘nature research framework’. Nature ‘interventions’ fall into three key areas – access, exposure, or engagement with nature – with quantity and quality of nature being relevant to all three areas. We judge that in general (i.e. non-clinical) child and adolescent populations, there is sufficient indication of benefit to motivate more high-quality research into the relationship between nature and mental health and well-being.It is important to not simply extrapolate adult findings to the child and adolescent population, as childhood and adolescence may be a particularly sensitive and unique period, whereby nature may have long-lasting effects on mental health across the life-course. 

While there is significant evidence of the positive effects of nature on mental health and well-being, further research is needed in this area as the term “nature” is so vast and mental health is so broad. It is also important to note that the effects on children and youth are unique in their importance as they seem to have a particular imprint on mental health that can spread across an individual’s lifetime. 

We need to follow up looking at different socioeconomic characteristics as well as the differences between nature found in rural vs nature found in urban settings. Also, what is the minimal “baseline” recommended dosage for nature exposure to receive maximum benefits for children and youth mental health and well-bring. 

To be sincere, I did not lack understanding nor did I find it difficult to understand this research and paper, so I would like to stress the importance of a section that might go unnoticed: the effect of nature on an individuals lifetime continuum. It would seem that exposure to nature in our youth has a lasting and positive effect on life in later years. To put simply, nature can have a positive imprint on our lives that carries through to adulthood. In a world that is narrowing when it comes to being outside and off-screens, it is crucial to understand the importance of nature and green space on our overall mental and physical well-being. Nothing can replace the effects of sun on the body and grass in the toes!