The Impact of Green Space on University Students’ Mental Health: The Mediating Roles of Solitude Competence and Perceptual Restoration

Jun Zhang, Jinghua Jin () and Yimeng Liang
Additional contact information
Jun Zhang: College of Landscape Architecture, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Jinghua Jin: College of Landscape Architecture, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Yimeng Liang: College of Landscape Architecture, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 2, 1-28

Abstract: With the prevalence of mental health problems among college students, perceptual recovery and the sensory dimensions of perception (PSD) have emerged as crucial environment-related factors for psychological well-being. However, there has been relatively limited research on how these factors directly and indirectly impact the restoration experience of college students in green spaces on campuses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the influence of college students’ intrinsic motivation on their psychological well-being when exposed to campus green spaces. Special attention was given to the role of solitude and perceptual recovery in this process. Research Methodology: Based on a literature review and field research, we classified campus green spaces into eight types based on perceptual dimensions. We collected 550 questionnaires on campus, and the data processing involved structural equation modeling (SEM) and mediation analysis. Findings: A positive correlation was found between perceived sensory dimensions and the recovery experience. College students’ perceptual recovery and ability to be alone emerged as mediating variables in this process. In essence, this study sheds light on the mechanism through which intrinsic motivation impacts the mental health of college students when they engage with campus green spaces.

Keywords: perceived sensory; perceptual restoration; solitude competence; campus green spaces; intrinsic motivation; psychological well-being (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/707/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/707/ (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:16:y:2024:i:2:p:707-:d:1318634

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 ().