The Tree Is My Anchor: A Pilot Study on the Treatment of BED through Nature-Based Therapy

Sus Sola Corazon, Ulrik Sidenius, Katrine Schjødt Vammen, Sabine Elm Klinker, Ulrika Karlsson Stigsdotter and Dorthe Varning Poulsen
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Sus Sola Corazon: Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Ulrik Sidenius: Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Katrine Schjødt Vammen: Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Sabine Elm Klinker: National Knowledge Center on Eating Disorders and Self Harm, Dronningens Tværgade 46, 1302 Copenhagen C, Denmark
Ulrika Karlsson Stigsdotter: Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Dorthe Varning Poulsen: Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-10

Abstract: Binge eating disorder (BED), characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating with a subjective experience of lack of control, is the world’s most common eating disorder. The aim of the present pilot study was to examine the feasibility of implementing nature-based therapy (NBT) in the treatment of BED. The NBT intervention was compared to Support Group Meetings (SGMs), which are the only publicly available form of support for people diagnosed with BED in Denmark. Twenty participants with a BED diagnosis were included in the study, which had a mixed-methods design including Eating Disorder Examination interviews, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires measuring well-being (The Psychological General Well-Being Index) and self-esteem (Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale). Both the NBT and the SGMs showed positive results on all outcome measures (decreases in binge eating episodes and increases in general psychological well-being and self-esteem). The interviews indicated that the NBT context made the psychotherapeutic content more accessible to the participants and further helped them transfer the therapeutic gains to daily life after completing treatment. However, these results should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size—ideally, they would need to be tested on a larger, randomized sample.

Keywords: eating disorder; binge eating; therapy garden; health-promoting natural environments; acceptance and commitment therapy; health design; eating disorder examination; psychological general well-being (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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