Investigating the Buffering Effects of Greenery on the Adverse Emotional, Mental and Behavioral Health during the Pandemic Period

Paolo Contini, Santo Di Nuovo, Maria Sinatra, Elisabeta Osmanaj and Lucia Monacis
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Paolo Contini: Inter-University Centre of Research in Population, Environmental and Health (CIRPAS), University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
Santo Di Nuovo: Department of Education, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
Maria Sinatra: Institute of Design, 75100 Matera, Italy
Elisabeta Osmanaj: Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Elbasan “Aleksandër Xhuvani”, 3001 Elbasan, Albania
Lucia Monacis: Department of Humanities, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-13

Abstract: In light of the adverse emotional, mental and behavioral outcomes caused by the pandemic period, this research analyzed the associations between emotional distress and poor health outcomes and the buffering effects of greenery on these outcomes. An online cross-sectional survey between June–November 2021 was distributed among 1314 young Italian adults. Bivariate associations and multivariate regression analyses were applied to the data. Findings showed that emotional distress was positively related to poor mental health outcomes and to some of the unhealthy behaviors. In addition, green pathways differently impacted on health: the indoor features confirmed buffering effects on adverse emotional and mental health responses, whereas the outdoor features played no salutogenic role. In conclusion, whereas the outbreak period of the pandemic has led to the rediscovering/reinforcement of the attachment to nature to cope with negative affective states, the successive waves characterized by selected limitations and new living rules of social adaptation may have brought about a reduced affinity toward nature. Target interventions in terms of biophilic design for indoor environmental sustainability are needed in order to increase the innate human–nature connection and thus to promote public health.

Keywords: COVID-19; greenery; buffering effects; emotional health; mental health; behavioral health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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