The Role of Social Context in Physiological and Psychological Restoration in a Forest: Case Study of a Guided Forest Therapy Program in Taiwan

Chia-Pin Yu, Heng-Ting Chen, Pei-Hua Chao, Jie Yin and Ming-Jer Tsai
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Chia-Pin Yu: School of Forest and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
Heng-Ting Chen: School of Forest and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
Pei-Hua Chao: Department of Bio-Industry Communication and Development, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
Jie Yin: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02138, USA
Ming-Jer Tsai: School of Forest and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-17

Abstract: Existing studies have demonstrated the restorative benefits of being in forests. However, most studies have designed participants to engage individually in forest walking and viewing, which neglects the social aspect of conversation. Researchers suggested that social context should be studied in order to have a better understanding how forests foster human health. To this end, we examined the role of social context using three types of forest therapy programs: a guided program, a self-guided program, and a walk alone program. A between-subject, pretest–posttest field experimental design was employed to evaluate restorative effects by measuring the physiological responses and mood states incurred in different forest therapy programs. Our findings showed, that the walk alone group exhibited a significant systolic blood pressure decrease and a significant increase in sympathetic nervous activity; the self-guided group showed a significant increase in heart rate values and significant decreases in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure; and the guided group revealed a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure. Further, the three forest therapy programs had positive effects on improving mood states, except a nonsignificant vigor–activity increase in the walk alone group. The three programs did not exhibit significant differences in changes of restorative benefits in physiological and psychological measures except for a significant difference in changes in sympathetic nervous activity between the walk alone group and guided group. The results showed the restorative benefits of forest therapy are apparent regardless of the program type. The management team should continue promoting forest therapy for public health by providing different types of forest therapy programs and experiences.

Keywords: forest therapy; restorative benefits; physiological and psychological responses; guided program; field experimental design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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