How Does Nature Exposure Affect Adults With Symptoms of Mental Illness? A Meta-Analysis.

Abstract

Existing research on the effects of nature exposure on the mental health of adults indicates that spending time in nature reduces depressive symptoms and stress, increases quality of life and mood and improves mental health. This meta-analysis aimed to answer the question: what are the effects of nature exposure on the social, mental and physical health of adults with symptoms of mental illness? The meta-analysis included all studies relevant to the study research questions which collected quantitative data on nature exposure using validated instruments for at least two time points on each participant and which were published between 1990 and 2020. Regarding the impact of nature exposure on adults with symptoms of mental illness, analyses showed significant, moderate effect sizes for all studies and smaller, but significant, effect sizes for studies with control groups Analyses also yielded critical information regarding the effect size of the type of nature dosage, nature setting, nature-based activity, key mental health outcomes and other factors. These findings from the present study results have important implications regarding the potential benefits of nature exposure for adults and its role in healthcare.