The Psychological Effects of a Campus Forest Therapy Program

Jin Gun Kim, Tae Gyu Khil, Youngsuwn Lim, Kyungja Park, Minja Shin and Won Sop Shin
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Jin Gun Kim: Department of Forest Therapy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
Tae Gyu Khil: Department of Forest Therapy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
Youngsuwn Lim: Department of Forest Therapy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
Kyungja Park: Department of Forest Therapy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
Minja Shin: Department of Forest Therapy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
Won Sop Shin: Department of Forest Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-11

Abstract: This study aimed to examine the psychological effects of a campus forest therapy program. To evaluate these, pre-test and post-test control group design was employed. A total of 38 participants participated in this study (19 in the campus forest therapy program group, and 19 in control). The Profile of Mood State (POMS) questionnaire and Modified form of the Stress Response Inventory (SRI-MF) were administered to each participant to assess psychological effects. The results of this study revealed that participants in the campus forest therapy program group had significantly positive increases in their mood and stress response compared with those of control group participants. In conclusion, the campus forest therapy program is an efficient strategy to provide psychological health benefits to university students and our study can inform decision-makers on the priority of the campus forest program in societal efforts to promote psychological well-being among university students.

Keywords: forest healing; campus forest; profile of mood state; stress response inventory; university students’ stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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