The ‘Rippling’ Waves of Wellbeing: A Mixed Methods Evaluation of a Surf-Therapy Intervention on Patients with Acquired Brain Injury

Lowri Wilkie, Zoe Fisher and Andrew H. Kemp
Additional contact information
Lowri Wilkie: School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Health & Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
Zoe Fisher: Regional Neuropsychology and Community Brain Injury Service, Morriston Hospital, Swansea SA6 6NL, UK
Andrew H. Kemp: School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Health & Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-25

Abstract: Dominant psychological models of wellbeing neglect the role that nature connection and other key factors, such as positive health behaviours and behaviour change, play in determining wellbeing. The present mixed-methods evaluation explores the impact of ”Surf-Ability”, an adapted surf therapy intervention delivered in collaboration with a UK neurorehabilitation service, on individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) as part of an effort to design interventions based on advances in wellbeing science. Following five surf-therapy sessions, within-subjects analysis ( n = 15) revealed significant improvements on the Warwick–Edinburgh mental wellbeing scale (t (15) = −2.164, p = 0.048), as well as in anxiety and happiness as measured via a brief visual analogue. No significant changes occurred in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) or resting heart rate variability (HRV). A ripple effects mapping (REM) session at 6–10 months follow-up ( n = 6) revealed that the physical and psychological experience of a nature-based challenge initiated a mindset shift in participants, which ultimately led to them adopting wellbeing-promoting long-term behaviour changes. These changes occurred at the scale of (1) individual wellbeing—increased mindfulness and physical activity; (2) collective wellbeing—improved relationships, community participation and contribution to organisations; and (3) planetary wellbeing—connection to nature. These findings align with the GENIAL theoretical framework, which defines wellbeing from a biopsychosocial ecological perspective across multiple levels of scale. The findings support the need for healthcare providers—including neurorehabilitation services—to enhance interventions for patients by incorporating novel factors that improve wellbeing, such as nature-connection.

Keywords: surf therapy; wellbeing; positive psychology; GENIAL model; heart rate variability; brain injury (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/15/9605/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/15/9605/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:15:p:9605-:d:880449

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().