Forest Bathing Increases Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being: A Mixed-Methods Study

Jennifer Keller (), Jean Kayira, Louise Chawla and Jason L. Rhoades
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Jennifer Keller: Department of Environmental Studies, Antioch University, New England, Keene, NH 03431, USA
Jean Kayira: Department of Environmental Studies, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Suracuse, NY 13201, USA
Louise Chawla: Program in Environmental Design, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
Jason L. Rhoades: Department of Environmental Studies, Antioch University, New England, Keene, NH 03431, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 21, issue 1, 1-24

Abstract: Previous research has demonstrated that practicing forest bathing has significant positive effects on adult psychological well-being. Considering the ongoing adolescents’ mental health crisis of increasing anxiety and depression, determining whether forest bathing has similar effects on adolescents is an important expansion of forest bathing research. This study investigated the possibility that forest bathing could improve adolescents’ mental well-being and sought to determine participants’ experiences of forest bathing. It used a convergent, parallel, mixed-methods design that was partially co-created with 24 participants aged 16–18 as part of a youth participatory action research (YPAR) project in which participants practiced forest bathing three times over 3 weeks. As measured using the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Survey, the mean participant mental well-being increased significantly after forest bathing, with moderate to large effect sizes. Participants described reduced stress and increased feelings of relaxation, peace, and happiness. These findings correlate with previous forest bathing research involving adult participants. It is recommended that educators and others who work with adolescents consider forest bathing as a simple, low-cost way to improve adolescents’ mental well-being.

Keywords: forest bathing; forest therapy; adolescent well being; ecoanxiety; YPAR; mixed methods; photovoice; nature connection; nature therapy; mental well being (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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